Coffee, Books, and Secrets
by Kowareta1468
Summary: Sakura Haruno works at a coffee shop as she waits for her writing career begin. Every day she sees a man who refuses to show his face or give his name. With encouragement from her best friend and coworker, Ino, she begins to interact more with this man, learning far more secrets than his name. They both have dark secrets and everything to lose. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto franchise or any characters mentioned in the story, unless otherwise stated. **

**Pairing: This story will be Kakashi x Sakura. Maybe slow-paced, maybe not.**

**Rating: The Story is rated T for now. It will change if people want it to. (SO REVIEW) **

**Length: I'm not sure how long this story will be. I may just write until it comes**** to a natural end, but if I'm receiving great response (AKA REVIEWS) I will do everything I can to keep the story going longer! :)**

**Summary: ****Sakura Haruno works at a coffee shop as she waits for her writing career begin. Every day she sees a man who refuses to show his face or give his name. With encouragement from her best friend and coworker, Ino, she begins to interact more with this man, learning far more secrets than his name. She just might learn a few things about herself along the way, too. AU. Possible OOC.**

* * *

Sakura Haruno was many things.

She was a pirate sailing the high seas, searching for the treasure to put all treasures to shame. She was a princess, falling in love with her servant when she was engaged to a King from a faraway land. She was a circus leader, amazing her patrons by her rare animals and talented acrobats. She was an assassin, sent out to kill a man who ran a sex trade and turned out to be her long-lost father.

No matter how magical her lives were, she always had to put the books down and come back to reality. She had rent and student loans to pay. She had a job at a coffee shop to be at...five minutes ago.

Sakura threw her current read down and sprang off her couch. She was already wearing her uniform — a white shirt, black pants, and black shoes — and just had to throw on her apron. She left her apartment without locking her door and rushed down the street. Thankfully she lived within walking distance of the coffee shop.

Her manager didn't seem to notice she arrived fifteen minutes late, breathless with her apron almost falling off her waist. Gai wasn't the type of manager to get angry, but he would give her quite the lecture on the importance of being on time, even if her "youthful passions" kept her otherwise occupied. She quickly retied it and got behind the counter.

"Running a little late?"

Sakura looked up at her first customer and rolled her eyes. Of course, it was _him_. The guy who came in every morning for his coffee, sat in the corner with his laptop, and stayed long enough to order three more drinks. It wasn't like he had an easy order either. He always made things complicated, which she despised.

"Large with half almond, half 2%, foamy, and three extra shots?" she asked.

She was almost embarrassed with how well she knew his coffee orders. No matter how complicated, she'd worked long enough to have it all memorized. It helped she made his coffee five days a week.

He may have smiled, but Sakura couldn't tell. He always had some covering over his face, whether it be a turtle neck pulled up over his mouth or a scarf. Sometimes his eyes would crinkle just so, possibly meaning he smiled. She couldn't tell yet.

He didn't answer her — aside from the eye crinkle — so she got to work on his order. She grabbed a cup and scribbled "Tella" on the side. His coffee only took a minute to make. She made it every day, after all.

He actually chuckled when she handed him the cup. "Tella? That's new," he said in that deep voice he used. Sakura couldn't tell if it was always like that or he just used it for the one-liners he gave her.

"A girl in the book I'm reading right now," she said. He shrugged and went to the corner by the window and threw his laptop back on the table. "You're welcome!" she shouted after him. He waved her off without looking her way.

He and Sakura had an odd relationship. She didn't know his name because he refused to give it to her, so she always wrote silly names on his cups, usually feminine ones. She also didn't charge him until the end of his visit; she knew he would pay at the end of his stay. They bantered back and forth like old friends, yet she only met him a year ago when she started working at the coffee shop.

Sakura kept busy for another hour by cleaning and making coffee for other customers. She went out to clear tables, taking a moment to stop at his table. Without looking up from his laptop, he handed her his cup. She flipped his laptop shut, which earned her a half-hearted glare. She began walking away backward and gave him a smile and a shrug, spinning back around just before bumping into a table.

He drank a plain black coffee next. His first cup had enough milk and foam to cover the taste of his three espresso shots — they got the caffeine kicking — then he switched to his plain coffee, enough caffeine to keep his buzz going without an overload of sugar. At least that's how he explained it to her one day.

"I can take that over," Ino, Sakura's coworker and long-term best friend, said.

"No, I got it," Sakura said, moving the cup out of Ino's reach. "It only takes a second."

Ino smirked. "You just want to see your _boyfriend_, doncha?"

Sakura tried not to blush, but she felt it creeping up her neck anyway. "Shut up. He's at least thirty-years-old. Don't be weird."

"Psh, as if he wouldn't want your ass." Ino spun the rag in her hand and snapped Sakura's butt with it, eliciting a sharp "_hey_!" from her. "Just go get your drink to your man, before it gets cold."

Sakura shoved Ino's shoulder, stifling her laugh. She didn't want to feed into Ino's teasing, but it was a little fun. Just a little. She was going to miss Ino when she left in a few months after her unpaid internship at the hospital.

"Here you go," Sakura said, setting his cup down beside his laptop.

"Thank you, Sakura," he said.

She flinched as if he hit her. "You know my name?"

He gave a small chuckle. "Of course. You have a nametag."

The blush she tried to suppress with Ino came back with full-force, crawling all the way up to her cheekbones. She didn't know what she could say, so she went back up to the counter. On the way, she had a burning feeling he was staring at her butt.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Sakura hated reading digital copies of books. She always, always, always bought physical copies at the bookstore in her neighborhood. There was just something about a physical book that gave her a deeper connection to the story. It also helped the family that owned the bookstore, which was a bonus.

Sakura had just stopped at the bookstore for the next book in the trilogy she was reading and decided to stop at the coffee shop. It was her day off, but she was never the type to avoid a job when not working. Ino was that way; she even avoided walking past the coffee shop, which Sakura thought was dramatic of her.

As Sakura walked to the coffee shop, she wondered if she would see her Number 1 customer. She wasn't a narcissist by any means, but she had a suspicion he only came in when she was working. The idea was a little crazy, she would admit, because her schedule was far from consistent. There was no way he knew when she would be working. Statistically speaking, however, her theory was correct. She had covered Ino's shifts many times over the past year, and he didn't come in once during any of those days.

Why would he only come in when she was working, though? She couldn't figure that part out or how she would feel if it were true. Did she want him to only come to see her? Would it be creepy or flattering?

The bell on the door chimed as she opened it, and her eyes quickly swept around the seating area. She didn't see him anywhere and a sense of relief washed over her.

"Hey, Sakura!" Ino said from behind the counter. She reached for a small cup, which Sakura usually took to go, but then saw the book in her arms. She put the small back and grabbed a large.

"You know me so well," Sakura said, smiling. Ino knew that if Sakura was staying at the coffee shop to start a book, she would be there for hours. A small drink just wouldn't do. "I'll have a hot chocolate with caramel drizzle."

As Ino made the drink, Sakura looked around the seating area again. She gave a small wave to an elderly couple a few booths away, who came in for cake every Tuesday afternoon after playing bingo at the senior center. A few teenagers crowded around another booth, laughing loudly with red faces.

The door to the office opened and Gai stepped out. He held the door open as if waiting for someone to follow. Sakura watched with interest, wondering who else was working. To her surprise, it wasn't a worker at all.

It was her Number 1 customer.

"Thanks for stopping by," Gai was saying. "I know you weren't planning on coming in today. Your selfless character and shining personality have saved the coffee shop once again."

The supposed Savior of the Coffee Shop rubbed the back of his head and gave a polite laugh. "Gai, we talked about this. There's no need to thank me every time I stop in."

Sakura's mouth almost dropped. She had never heard him say so much at once, and his voice really was just that deep. She had always wondered if he only used his deep voice for the one-linters he gave her, and now she had her answer.

"You might catch flies if you keep your mouth open too long," Ino said, giving Sakura her drink. "I'll just put this on your employee tab."

"Huh? Okay, sure."

Gai and the man were still talking. Gai seemed to be carrying the conversation, but the man didn't seem uncomfortable, either. Just not as active a participant. Gai finally said, "I'm going to head back in the office. I'll see you later tonight."

"Sakura," Ino hissed. The pinkette looked back quickly. "He's about to walk back over here, and I'll be damned if you make yourself look like an idiot in front of Mr. Hottie."

"You don't even know what he looks like," Sakura hissed back. "He's always wearing that beanie and covering his face."

"It doesn't matter." Ino handed her his coffee order, which he must have ordered before talking with Gai. "The rest of him is sexy, and I know you have a crush on him."

"I do not-" Sakura spun around- "Hey, Dante. What's shaking?"

His eye crinkled as he took his drink from her. "Nice to see you on your day off." He raised his cup to Ino in thanks and strolled back to his table in the corner, where his laptop was already sitting.

Ino smacked Sakura on the back of her head. "Seriously? _What's shaking_? What the hell is wrong with you? He clearly likes you, and you're about to blow it."

"He does not. Stop saying that."

"He just said it was nice to see you on your day off. That's basically him saying he misses you when you're not here." She waved her hands at Sakura as if it was the most obvious conclusion that could be made from his statement. "It's a good thing you're going to see him outside of this shop and in normal clothes."

Sakura looked down at herself. She was technically wearing the uniform — white shirt, black pants, and black shoes — even though it was her day off. There was nothing wrong with the outfit in her mind. It was comfortable, plain, and could be used at work. Clothes were clothes.

Sakura didn't have to ask Ino why she was going to see him outside of the coffee shop, because Ino was already offering, "Gai told me he was going to the new bar across town with a few friends tonight, and apparently that includes our mystery man. We're going."

"No way," Sakura said quickly. "You know I don't do bars. Besides, I need to finish this book today or I will literally die."

"No butts! I'll be over later tonight to get you ready." She pushed her back away from the counter. "Now go sit down and read your book before you 'literally die'."

Sakura sat by herself at a table, reading her book. She took a sip of her now-cold hot chocolate every few minutes and read until it was gone, never noticing the pair of dark eyes watching her from across the room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to ****Yoohyuk and generaltay for reviewing! Also thank you to anyone who favorited and/or followed this story.**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Sakura was deeply engrossed. She was frantically reading, trying to figure out once and for all which character ruled this fantastical world. She was so close she could taste it, the sweet feeling of simply knowing.

When her front door opened, Sakura nearly jumped a foot in the air. She set her book down to go look who entered. It was Ino, who she forgot was coming over.

"I wasn't kidding," Ino said, knowing what her friend was thinking. "We're going to that new bar tonight. You're going to show that guy how hot you are when you wear normal clothes."

Sakura and Ino had different definitions of "normal clothes." To Sakura, wearing white shirts and black pants _was_ normal. Ino was wearing a tight dress that left nothing to the imagination when it came to her shoulders, back, and legs. This was _not normal_ for Sakura.

"Go put a dress on," Ino said. She threw her makeup bag onto the dining table and opened it up. "It better be good, or I'll come pick something out myself."

"You're not going to like anything I pick, anyways," Sakura mumbled.

Sakura owned very few dresses. Most would have been acceptable at church, meaning no exposed shoulders and long enough to touch her knees. She never had a reason to buy something skimpy, since she only ever wore dresses to special gatherings like weddings.

But there was one dress.

Ino took Sakura to a bar the night they graduated from college. Ino had made her buy a new dress for the occasion, and it's been hanging in the back of her closet ever since. Knowing Ino wouldn't be satisfied unless she wore the dress again, Sakura slipped it on.

Ino was pleased Sakura wore The Dress and got to work on her hair and makeup. Sakura's hair was short and only to her shoulders, so Ino didn't have many options. She decided to take Sakura's pink bangs and french braid them to the one side, securing it with a simple pink pin. Her hair may have been done modestly, but Ino spared no expense with makeup. She added winged eyeliner, sparkly eyeshadow, and highlighter. She wanted to add bright red lipstick, as well, but Sakura refused to wear anything but a dark burgundy color.

Sakura didn't have a car, but Ino did. She lived on the outskirts of town, so she always had to drive everywhere. Sometimes Sakura thought cars were a nuisance, but on nights like these it was much easier than walking or catching a taxi.

The bar had only been open a few weeks, so it was still a novelty for people. There was a line out the door and down a block and a half, which deflated Sakura's mood a little; she didn't want to wait all night. Confident as ever, Ino walked right up to the bouncer and flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"Mind letting us in, handsome?" Ino said in a low voice. She put her arm tight around Sakura's waist, hoping the bouncer's imagination would do some of the work. "It's my girl and I's anniversary, and I would _love_ to dance the night away, _real close_." The way she battered her eyes and popped her chest out should have been illegal.

Sakura and Ino were laughing as they entered the bar. Sakura never had the courage for stunts like that, but Ino sure knew how to say all the right things in all the right places to get her way. It really was great in times like these, Sakura hated to admit.

Ino went to get them drinks while Sakura tried to find a place to stand. The room was too crowded. They had to be over their max capacity. The bar was stuffed with people sitting at stools and leaning through to get the bartender's attention. Ino wiggled her way through easily, no surprise there. The dance floor was to the brim with dancers, if grinding could be considered dancing. Mostly all the tables were full, too, aside from a couple in the back corner. Sakura started to head there.

"No you don't," Ino said, grabbing Sakura's arm. "We're staying up here with the party. Drink this."

Sakura took one of the shots Ino was balancing in her left hand. She only had a second to notice it was a double shot before Ino was tipping the glass back into her mouth and replacing the shot glass with a full cup. It looked like something fruity, but Sakura knew better than to assume Ino ordered an innocent drink. It was probably half-full with liquor.

"I see our boy!" Ino shouted in Sakura's ear. She pointed across the room to a table perfectly positioned between the dancefloor and the bar. The man from the coffee shop was sitting on top of a table, his friends sitting around him. There were four of them, one of which being Gai.

"I was thinking we could sit..." Sakura pointed dumbly to the back corner where the empty tables were. There was no point, she realized, because Ino was already walking towards the guys.

By time Sakura caught-up, Ino was talking to Gai. She heard the last part of the conversation, where Ino was saying, "so we decided to check out this place. It's so fun to see you!"

Sakura could feel eyes burning into her. She tried not to look at _him_ or blush, failing at both. She watched his eyes as they moved from her feet upwards, taking in her black tights, the hem of her dress skimming the top of her thighs, the semi-tight skirt, the cinch at the waist, the sweetheart neckline, and finally her burgundy lips. He met her eyes then looked away so fast she may have imagined it.

"It's so wonderful to see your youthful face, Sakura!" Gai was gushing. "It's important to live your young lives to the fullest before you're old men like us!"

"Speak for yourself!" one of their friends shouted. He had straight brown hair to his shoulders, a coffee stick in his mouth, and a redness to his cheek hinting at how much he's been drinking. "Some of us are still young!"

Gai gave a loud guffaw. "You're no spring chicken, my friend! You'll be joining the Thirty Club soon enough!"

"Now, now, you're scaring the beautiful ladies," another friend said. He had thick black hair and a full beard, making him look the oldest out of the group. He looked at the girls and smiled. "My name is Asuna. That's Genma and Iruka." Genma was the man with straight hair who was speaking before, and Iruka had the thick ponytail and kind smile. "You know Gai, of course, and that's-"

Genma hit Asuna on the back of the head. Asuna sheepishly looked at the man from the coffee shop, as if he almost did him harm. Sakura exchanged a look with Ino, silently asking if she also thought that was strange.

"She didn't learn your name yet, Damon?" Ino asked in a teasing voice.

"Dante," Sakura and the man said at the same time. She looked up at him in surprise. So he did pay attention to her nicknames for him. Dante was the one she gave him earlier in the day.

Ino waved a hand at them, clearly not caring if she messed up the day's name. Iruka finally spoke and said, "Don't they work at the coffee shop with Gai? They don't know your name?"

The man's eye crinkled, which was the final proof Sakura needed that he was smiling.

"Well, _I'm_ ready for another drink. How about you, Sakura?" Ino said. Sakura lifted her glass to show Ino she had barely touched it, and Ino took the opportunity to tip this glass back, too. Sakura nearly choked in the process, and Gai made a statement about the wildness of youth. "Wow, Sakura, let me go refill that drink for you. Be right back!" Ino said. She skipped off, proud of herself.

Sakura wanted to die of embarrassment. She was still coughing from nearly choking and was left alone with three strangers, that man from the coffee shop, and her manager. She nervously rubbed her arms and looked towards the bar, willing Ino to come back as fast as possible.

"Asuna, I see your beautiful girlfriend across the way!" Gai suddenly announced, jumping up. "Surely we must go celebrate this wonderful evening together!" He grabbed Asuna's shoulders and picked him off his chair, leading him towards the dancefloor. Never one to pass on an opportunity to dance with women, Genma followed.

"Gai has too much energy," Iruka said, shaking his head. "He just worked all day and is still going strong."

"He's an enigma," the man from the coffee shop agreed.

"You're one to talk," Iruka said. "You worked all day, too! Sakura, please sit down."

Sakura awkwardly sat beside Iruka, sitting almost directly in front of the man from the coffee shop. "You worked all day?" she asked him. He had spent more time than her at the coffee shop. "Do you get to work on your laptop?"

"Something like that." He looked up towards the bar. "Ino is coming back with drinks."

Sure enough, Ino was carrying a tray. The waitresses were so busy, they were probably happy to give Ino a tray to carry back herself. There were seven glasses, too many now that three of the guys left.

"Looks like more for us!" Ino said cheerfully. She pushed the man from the coffee shop off the table and into a chair, then handed everyone a glass.

"So, Mystery Man, is there _anything_ Sakura can do to learn your name?" Ino was practically purring her words.

Sakura drank everything in her cup in one go, then drank another whole one. If Ino was going to play these games, she needed to be _drunk_.

"I'm sure something can be arranged."

There goes her third glass. There was one more left on the tray, which she was tempted to take. She wanted to still be able to stand, so she decided it was better not to. "I'm going," she said instead, not elaborating.

Sakura walked away, Ino following behind after finishing her drink. Iruka gave his friend a nudge, and soon everyone was following the pinkette to the dancefloor.

Sakura was feeling great. She had the double shot when they first arrived, whatever was in that fruity drink, and three glasses of some kind of whiskey. She was still a total lightweight — this was only the second time she's drank. Everything was hitting her strong.

Sakura grabbed Ino and started dancing close to her, not caring if other people were watching. They would probably make the bouncer proud, she thought, which made her laugh out loud. Ino didn't know why she was laughing but was glad to see her friend letting loose and having fun.

Iruka and his friend approached them. Iruka smiled at the girls, but his friend gave no reaction, just staring at Sakura. Iruka noticed and motioned him towards her. When he got close enough, Ino backed off. She winked at Iruka before going off to find someone hot to dance with.

Sakura didn't notice the change of partners at first. Her eyes were closed, enjoying her youthful moment, as Gai would say. She reached out for Ino's shoulders and gasped when her hands fell on a hard chest. She opened her eyes fast and the room spun.

"Easy," he said, grabbing one of her arms to steady her. He could tell she was about to topple over. "You should sit down."

Sakura let out the girliest giggle she ever heard herself utter. "You should sit down," she said in a deep voice, trying to mimic him. A new round of giggles started.

He grabbed her waist and pulled her over towards their table. She didn't go easily, and she ended up pressed closer to him. "At least buy me a drink first," she said almost too quietly for him to hear.

Asuna, Gai, and Genma were off with Asuna's girlfriend, nowhere to be found. Ino and Iruka had both disappeared, too. He was left alone with this girl in a skimpy dress and smeared makeup, who was too drunk for her own good.

What the hell was he supposed to do with her?

* * *

**Did Ino find a hot guy? What _will_ our "mystery man" do with Sakura? When will she learn his name? Stay tuned for these answers and more! **

**Leave a review! Let me know what you're thinking and keep me motivated :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you to SilverPowder for your review! Also thank you to anyone who's favorited or followed this story.**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

He didn't know how long Sakura was in his arms. Whether she couldn't move without toppling over or didn't want to, he didn't know. All he knew was the way she was looking up at him with her big green eyes, far too trusting, was dangerous. He couldn't count all the reasons she shouldn't be here with him like this.

"You're not dancin'," Sakura mumbled. One of her arms snaked around his neck, so tight the crook of her elbow was on the nape of his neck. Her other hand grabbed the base of his back tightly as she balanced on the tips of her toes. He was so, so tall.

"You're not either," he said. What was he supposed to say? _Untangle yourself before you're trapped in the web of my life and choking on it. _If only it were that easy to get her to leave.

Her toes started to hurt so she loosened her grip on his neck. She shrunk down to the balls of her feet, the hand around his back slipping down enough to fall into his back pocket. She let out a giggle. He knew she wasn't thinking clearly, about to be up to no good at all.

"Sakura!"

He looked up and saw Ino stalking over. He hadn't drank _that much_ but he swore he saw smoke coming out of her ears. She grabbed Sakura's arm and yanked her back. "Ugh," Sakura groaned, taken back by how quickly the room was spinning.

"We're leaving," Ino growled. "Nothing good for us is here."

"But…" Sakura looked up at him, and he wasn't looking at her. He was watching Iruka walk over, a drunk Gai hanging off of him.

Ino started dragging Sakura away, and he looked back to watch them go. Just before they were out of sight, Sakura looked back and smiled at him. Then they disappeared through the door.

"Kakashi, my man!" Gai shouted. He let go of Iruka and threw himself onto Kakashi. "Where did my beautiful coworkers run off to?"

"Asuna and Genma are with Kurenai and her friend," Iruka said. "I think it's time I get Gai home. He's pretty ripe, and he has work in the morning."

"There's no way he's making it to work in the morning," Kakashi said.

"I will go with a righteous smile!" Gai shouted in Kakashi's ear. "I will not let the good people down!"

"Okay, okay," Iruka said. He peeled Gai from Kakashi. "Let's get him home. I'll take you too, Kakashi."

Iruka and Gai went outside while Kakashi went up to the bar. He waved at the bartender, who stiffened and walked over. "How are you, Mr. Hatake? I hope everything is to your satisfaction," the bartender said.

"Yes," Kakashi said simply. "A few of my friends and I are leaving. Please clear the tab for my party. Leave Asuna and Genma's open; they'll pay for anything additional they drink tonight."

"Of course, sir," the bartender said. He pulled out an iPad to clear the tabs Kakashi mentioned. "Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?"

Kakashi paused. "Yes, actually," he said. "Two ladies just left, Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka. Please reverse the payment for whoever paid. They were with me."

The bartender stood straighter. "My apologizes, sir. I didn't realize-"

"It's fine," Kakashi cut in. "Keep up the good work."

Kakashi left, which relaxed the bartender. Outside, Iruka was ready with the car. Kakashi sent a quick email, then got in the car for Iruka to drive him home.

X

Sakura woke to sunlight hitting her face. She rolled over on her couch — which seemed to be the farthest she could get the night before — and checked her phone. She saw she had an email with the subject line "urgent" so she quickly opened it.

TO: SAKURA HARUNO

SUBJECT: URGENT

MISS HARUNO,

I WOULD LIKE YOU TO OPEN THE COFFEE SHOP TOMORROW. I KNOW YOU WILL NOT DISAPPOINT. PLEASE ARRIVE 30 MINUTES BEFORE OPENING TIME TO ENSURE EVERYTHING IS READY FOR THE DAY. YOU CAN UNLOCK THE DOORS WITH THE CODE 14759.

KAKASHI HATAKE, CEO

LEAF DIVISION

HATAKE CORPORATIONS

Sakura dropped her phone and screamed.

* * *

**The CEO himself emailed Sakura! What a surprise for her. How will she handle this new responsibility he's given her? **

**Leave a review of what you think so far!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you to happy everyday life, Yoohyuk, and generaltay for reviewing! Also to anyone who favorited/followed. **

**A few**** notes...**

**1\. Thank you happy everyday life, his name is Asuma, not Asuna. I watched SAO recently, so I have Asuna on the brain!**

**2\. Generaltay was wondering what made Ino leave so fast from the bar that night. You'll find out in the next chapter! **

**3\. I would die from embarrassment from flirting with my boss too, happy everyday life! We'll have to see how Sakura handles it. ;)**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Ino was sleeping soundly in her best friend's living room, still wearing her dress from the night before. They left the bar around midnight and crashed at Sakura's house. Sakura slept on the couch with Ino on the floor. Sweet dreams filled the blonde's head, not a worry in the world.

Until she heard her best friend screaming.

"What's going on?" Ino asked hurriedly, sitting up. Luckily she hadn't drank much, or her head would have been killing her.

"Ino, Ino, Ino," Sakura chanted. She picked up her phone and passed it to Ino, her hands shaking wildly.

Ino quickly read the email and gasped. "Doesn't Hatake Corporations own the coffee shop? Why is the owner emailing you?" she asked.

"I don't know!" Sakura stood up and started pacing the room, too anxious to notice her own pounding head. "I've never opened the coffee shop before. Why is he asking _me_?"

"Why is he asking anyone?" Ino asked. "Isn't that Gai's job? Shouldn't he be emailing you, not the freaking owner?"

"Did something happen to Gai?" Sakura asked. "He's never missed a day of work. Ever."

"He's probably hungover," Ino joked.

"Why me?"

Ino got up and grabbed Sakura by the shoulders. "Get it together, Sakura. Kakashi Hatake himself is asking you to open the coffee shop. _Don't blow this_."

"You're right," Sakura agreed. "This could be my chance to prove myself. Maybe I'll even get a raise."

"Right, now get dressed! You have half an hour to get there, and you _really_ need a shower."

Sakura got to work on herself. She had to shower, wash off the pound of makeup Ino put on her the night before, and take pain killers. Lots of pain killers for her pounding head.

X

At lunchtime, Sakura was still frazzled. The morning she got inside the coffee shop with the code sent in the email, but she didn't know what to do from there. She grabbed the spare key to unlock the back office to get the drawer for the cash register, but she didn't know what else needed done office-wise.

Then Moegi was late for her shift. Apparently Sakura wasn't the only one that got away with coming to work late, because Moegi had made it a habit. She was shocked when Sakura was the acting manager instead of Gai, and she apologized seven times in the first hour.

Then she ran out of almond milk.

"Will you be okay for a minute?" Sakura asked Moegi. They were going through their lunch rush, and Moegi wasn't as capable as Sakura. Moegi was a high school student and had only worked about a month. "I'm going to run to the back office for more milk."

The fridge with extra supplies was kept in Gai's office. Normally no one was allowed in his office, but if Sakura was allowed to open the store she was sure she was allowed to grab a spare jug of almond milk.

The office was unlocked, to Sakura's surprise. She thought she had locked it back up after getting the cash registers. She stepped inside and gasped when she saw _him_.

"What are you doing?" she asked. "I know you're friends with Gai, but you really shouldn't-"

"How has your morning been?" he asked, surprising Sakura.

"Pretty awful," she admitted. Though she didn't like complaining about work with customers, she felt like she knew him enough to release her pent-up stress. He was sitting in Gai's chair, so she slumped into the chair in front of the desk. "I had to open the store today, which I've never done. Can you believe the CEO himself asked me to? Then Moegi showed up late for work, and we've been busy every since."

He tilted his head as his eye crinkled, and his scarf slipped down a little so she saw the tip of his nose. She thought she saw a scar beside it, but he moved the fabric back before she got a good look.

"It sounds like you handled the pressure well, even if the CEO is a dick," he said. Sakura flushed, and before she could speak again he added, "It's a good thing he has a soft spot for you, or you'd be in trouble for calling him a dick."

"Wait, no, I didn't…" Her eyebrows scrunched together. "I've never met the CEO." _How does he have a soft spot for me_?

"Then whose coffee have you been making for the past year?"

Sakura felt a knot growing in her stomach. She looked at him with wide eyes, trying to process what he was saying. He didn't mean he was the CEO, did he? There was no way. Or was there? He was always working on his laptop, which a CEO might do. And he was in Gai's office one time "saving the coffee shop."

He reached his hand out to her, and she dumbly shook it. "My name is Kakashi Hatake. It's lovely to meet you, Miss Haruno."

She had been making coffee for Kakashi Hatake, CEO of the Leaf Division of the Hatake Corporation, owner of the coffee shop. She had rolled her eyes at him, joked with him, and _danced with him_. Ino couldn't have known, but Gai sure did. Why hadn't he ever said anything?

Maybe he was asked not to. At the bar the night before, Asuma almost said Kakashi's name and he was stopped. Kakashi must have asked them to keep his name a secret. Was that a general rule, or just for her and Ino? Is it possible it was just for her? Was she special to him, or was it the opposite? He might not have trusted her enough to know.

"You might want to stop thinking before your head pops," Kakashi said, snapping her out of her thoughts. He stood up and got in the fridge, pulling out a jug of almond milk. "I believe you need this, right? Poor Moegi is by herself out there."

"Oh no!"

Sakura jumped up and grabbed the jug from him. She opened her mouth as if to speak, then turned around and ran back out to help Moegi with the lunch rush.

* * *

**Sakura now knows that Kakashi is her boss! How do you think she'll handle it? Drop a review letting me know!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you to McCartywife and Cruisegirl86 for your reviews! I love getting reviews to see what you are liking about the story and for suggestions. **

**McCartywife thinks Sakura should give Kakashi the silent treatment for hiding that he was the CEO. What do you all think? Let me know!**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Sakura was exhausted when she went home that night. The lunch rush never really faded, and they were busy all afternoon. Moegi wouldn't stay late, either, so Sakura was all alone the second half of her shift, which was longer than eight hours, since she had to open the store as well.

She couldn't get into her work, either. She had messed up a few coffee orders because of her distractedness, which she had never done before. That man - Kakashi, she reminded herself again - dropped possibly the biggest news-bomb of her life and just disappeared. By the time she had a spare second to check on him, he had already left. She would have to confront him another time.

Sakura found Ino standing in her living room when she got home, wearing a cocktail dress fancier than the one she wore the night before. "Why are you all dressed up?" she asked.

Ino's face twisted into a mix between a smirk and a grimace, which had Sakura concerned. "We need to go back to the bar," she said.

Sakura laughed. "Why would I do that?" She threw her purse onto the couch and plopped down next to it, hoping Ino would take the hint that she's tired.

Ino didn't take the hint. "We don't have time to buy you a dress, since you were gone all day-"

"Like it was my fault."

"-So you'll just have to wear one of your grandma-dresses-"

"They're appropriate for a girl my age."

"-Because we need to get down there."

"What is this about?" Sakura was getting a little frustrated with Ino. She barges into her apartment — she would have had to leave since that morning to get the dress she's wearing — to demand she go to a bar with her, then has the nerve to bash her clothing choices. "You were pissed when we left last night. Why do you want to go back?"

Ino crossed her arms and looked away, what looked like a light blush on her cheeks. "I _may_ have overreacted last night," she said.

"Overreacted to what?"

"I'll tell you about it while you get dressed."

Sakura changed into one of her more exposing dresses to please Ino. It covered her knees but was strapless, at least. Ino still hadn't told her story, so as she was fixing her makeup and hair she reminded her friend she was supposed to be talking.

"Right," Ino said. "So last night, there was this guy."

"There's always a guy," Sakura said with an eye roll.

Ino shushed her. "Anyways, there was this guy. He wanted to dance and we did and he kissed me and I slapped him and I left. The end."

If Sakura had a drink, she would have spit it out. "Okay, slow down. Isn't a guy kissing you a good thing? Why did you slap him?"

"Because he was so sweet and cute." Ino had a faraway look in her eyes, as if she was thinking of a prince rather than a drunken man at a bar. After a moment her lips turned from a smile to a pout. "I guess I got scared. No man every treats me that way, as something other than a hot piece of ass. So we need to go back so I can explain things."

Sakura knew there was a chance this man wouldn't be at the bar, but she also knew she couldn't let her best friend down. If Ino needed help finding and apologizing to this man, then Sakura was going to help her. That's what best friends did.

Best friends also didn't keep secrets, so Sakura would tell Ino very soon about her mystery man being Kakashi Hatake, the CEO of the Leaf Division of Hatake Corporations, AKA their boss. But that could wait, because Ino needed her right now. She would tell her. Soon.

X

The bar was packed, once again. Saturdays usually weren't as busy at bars — most people chose Saturdays to have actual dates at bowling alleys and movie theaters — but this was the most popular bar in town. The Hidden Leaf would be popular for a long while, Sakura knew.

The girls found another long line ahead of them as they arrived at the Hidden Leaf. Again, Ino strode right to the front of the line, ready to flirt with the bouncer. This was a different bouncer than the night before, and Sakura hoped he would be just as privy to Ino's charms as the one before.

"Hi, handsome," Ino said slowly. She reached out her hand, prepared to touch his chest. She had told Sakura many times it was a sure-fire way to drive a man mad.

The bouncer grabbed her wrist. "Please keep your hands to yourself," he said, "and go to the back of the line."

Ino gave a flirtatious laugh, though it wasn't as potent as Sakura was familiar with. Ino was losing her nerve. "Let's just wait," she told her.

"Sakura, it's fine-"

"Sakura?" the bouncer said. "Sakura Haruno?"

Sakura and Ino were both shocked. Sakura gave a weak nod. Had they been put on some kind of blacklist? Did they act out in some way last night? Did they drink too much, dance too scandalously-

"My apologizes, Miss Haruno. Please, come inside. You and your friend are welcome any time," he said.

Ino was baffled, but Sakura wasn't. As she thanked the bouncer and stepped inside, she realized what was happening. It made total sense, and she didn't know why she was just making the connection. Of course Kakashi Hatake, CEO of the _Leaf_ Division would own the Hidden _Leaf_ bar.

_But why would he put me on a special list?_ she wondered.

* * *

**So Ino was upset over a guy! Who do you think it will be? **

**What will Ino think ab out Kakashi? When will Sakura tell her?**

**Drop a review letting me know what you all think! Thanks for reading :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you to the two Guests that reviewed for the last chapter! I'm so glad you're enjoying the story! **

**This extra long chapter goes out to Guest Gabi for your awesome review 21 minutes ago!**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Ino didn't ask any questions when they got inside, which Sakura was thankful for. She wanted to help Ino find the man from the night before, not gush with her about how her mystery man from the coffee shop was in fact the owner of the coffee shop, the very bar they were in, and no doubt dozens of other business around the city.

"It's not completely packed yet," Sakura said. "Why don't I go get some drinks and you grab us a table facing the door. You can see if he comes in, then."

Sakura looked around as she went to the bar. She didn't know what Ino's man would look like, but she wanted to see if she could guess. It was almost like a test of friendship, in her eyes; could she find her best friend's true love with one glance? He couldn't be any of the older men, the ones boldly catcalling the waitresses. He wouldn't be anyone with face tattoos, which ruled-out the dark- and red-haired men sitting quietly at the end of the bar. Could it be the one with the dark ponytail in a fightnet top? Or the odd brown-haired man drawing in a notebook at a table for one? What about the one with straight brown hair to his shoulders?

Sakura realized the man with straight brown hair to his shoulders was Genma. Iruka was with him, and they were sipping a dark alcohol at the bar. Worried they would be offended if they knew she saw them and didn't say "hello," she made her way up to them.

"Well, look. If it isn't Sakura Haruno!" Genma shouted when he noticed her.

Before Sakura could say anything, a bartender rushed over and asked if "Miss Haruno" needed a drink. Shocked, she asked for two fruity drinks, anything he would recommend. He rushed off to make the drinks.

"That wasn't funny," Iruka said. "That bartender's heart is going to stop."

"I had to prove it to you, since you didn't believe me." Genma had a wide smirk on his face.

"I'm sorry, what just happened?" Sakura said. Clearly Genma and Iruka was trying to prove something to each other about her.

The bartender came back with the drinks, faster than Sakura had ever seen. He told her to let her know if there was _anything_ he could do for her, then rushed off to help other customers.

"I told Iruka-boy that the bartender would be eating out of your hand, and he didn't believe me." Iruka was about to cut in, so Genma continued. "We saw you get rushed in here. That bouncer was quite concerned that you made it through the door in one piece."

"Genma, quit it," Iruka said. His voice was firm, angry. "Leave her alone."

Sakura didn't quite understand what was going on, but she had a sneaking suspicion, one that began with "Kakashi" and ended with "Hatake." "Is he here?" she asked.

Genma and Iruka's faces lit up in surprise. "So you know," Iruka said.

"I know who he is, yes, but I don't understand what is going on," Sakura said. "Why does everyone care if I'm happy?" Iruka as right, that bartender's heart would stop if he kept running around like he was. He probably would have cut off his hand if Sakura asked him to, just to make her happy.

Genma opened his mouth to speak, but Iruka was faster. "It looks like Ino is not-so-patiently waiting for you," he said. "I would be getting back."

Sakura wanted their answer, but she knew Iruka was right. She thanked them before walking back to Ino, who didn't look happy at how long she was gone. "I got us something fruity," she said.

Ino took a sip and her face twisted. "Damn, how many shots did you ask for?"

Sakura sniffed her drink and could smell there was a lot more alcohol than there should have been. "The bartender was good to me," she mumbled.

Ino drank half her cup in one go and started looking around the room. "I haven't seen him come in, so he must be somewhere here already."

"Unless he isn't coming tonight," Sakura added.

Ino waved a hand. "No, I'm sure he's coming. How could he miss a chance of seeing me again?"

Sakura sighed. Ino oozed confidence, only sometimes it was endearing. "What does he look like?"

Ino's eyes became dreamy again. "His eyes are dark and beautiful." Sakura gave her a look, letting her know that wasn't clear enough."His ears are pierced, and his hair is dark."

Pierced ears. Sakura could work with that. Not too many guys had their ears pierced, so she could easily narrow-down most of the guys with dark hair in the bar.

"Oh, and his eyebrows are done nicer than yours."

Sakura's brow ticked, but she didn't say anything. Ino really was a pro at correctly Sakura's appearances in any conversation. Ino had once told her that if she took care of her appearance more, she could be the most beautiful girl, like, ever. This meant plucking eyebrows, waxing lips, and lots and lots of makeup.

The girls finished their drinks and split up to look for Ino's man. Sakura didn't have a name, so if she found him she would have to make him follow her to Ino. Hopefully he didn't mind following strange, pink-haired girls.

Sakura went back to the bar, remembering the men she saw earlier. Passing the old men cat-calling her, she passed the two boys with the tattoos. Ino didn't mention a tattoo, but it was still worth checking. The red-haired man glared at her as she carefully checked his dark-haired friend for earrings. He had none.

She checked the man sitting by himself next. He still had his nose in his sketchbook, so it was easy for her to check his ears. He wasn't wearing earrings either, and she took a moment to notice how pale he was. Ino wouldn't have chose him for that reason alone.

"Woah," Sakura gasped unintentionally. The man looked up at her, which gave her an even better look of his sketchbook. He had drawn the men with the tattoos perfectly, no freckle missing or out of place.

"Do you like it?" the man asked. He had a slight accent, though Sakura didn't know where it was from.

"It's gorgeous," she said. She found herself sitting adjacent of him, her eyes still as wide as dinner plates. "How did you do this so fast?" There was no way the men sat there for the hours it would have required.

The man gave a light chuckle. "This is nothing, though I'm glad you enjoy it. Would you like me to draw you?" He flushed and bowed his head down. "I'm sorry, that was odd of me. This is exactly the thing my brother tells me not to do. You're just so beautiful, I couldn't help but ask."

Sakura flushed when he asked to draw her, and her face only got darker as he spoke. Not only did he want to draw her, he thought she was so beautiful he couldn't help himself, this man who probably saw many beautiful people.

He probably noticed _everyone_.

"Can I ask you something?"

The man hummed and flipped to a new page, taking her willingness to stay with him as a go-ahead to draw. He began outlining her face.

"My friend is looking for a man she saw last night. She said he had-"

The man had flipped to a previous page in his sketchbook and held up a page. On it was a picture-perfect image of Ino dancing with a man. They were smiling at each other, their eyes lit up even in the sketch. "I assume this is your friend. I saw you leave with her last night," he explained. "Might this be the man she's looking for?"

Sakura grabbed the sketchbook and brought it closer to her face. Ino had never looked so beautiful, so _pure_. She was always posing for photos with puckered lips or popping her chest out. She had never smiled so naturally for a photo, especially not with a man.

"I take that as a yes," the man said, chuckling again. "He's sitting over there." He motioned a few tables away to the man with the ponytail and fishnet shirt, one of the men Sakura suspected before talking with Genma and Iruka.

"Thank you," Sakura said. "I really appreciate it. I'm going to go tell him Ino is looking for him."

"Please come back," the man said.

Sakura smiled and told him she would. Then she went up to the man. He was at the table by himself, but there was an extra cup as if someone was with him but ran off somewhere, possibly to the bathroom.

"Excuse me," Sakura said. The man looked up lazily at her, as if he was in no rush to talk to her. "My name is Sakura. I believe you were dancing with my friend Ino last night?"

"What a drag," the man said.

Sakura wasn't sure what to say to that, but luckily she saw Ino walking towards her. She must have been coming to tell her she didn't have any luck finding him. But of course she had no luck, because he was on the side of the bar that Sakura was checking. She waved Ino over, hoping she arrive before this guy told her off.

"We were hoping we'd run into you, because she wanted to talk to you again. She loved dancing with you, believe me. I know she slapped you-"

"Sakura," Ino said, cutting off her friend's rambling. "Why don't you go dance? They've been playing music you like."

Though she felt a little like a dismissed child, Sakura was happy to leave Ino with this man. Ino would make things right, and if everything went well she'd have his phone number and a date planned by the end of the night. Ino could use a date with a nice boy.

"You came back."

Sakura smiled at her new friend as she sat back down adjacent of him. She wondered if he generally didn't trust people, because she had told him she'd come back yet was surprised that she did. Maybe he wasn't surprised at all and just needed something to say.

"I finished your drawing," he announced, handing over the sketchbook.

Sakura gasped. "Is this me?" she asked. The image before her was too beautiful to be her, she decided. The eyes were wide, inviting, stunning. The nose had a perfect curve and wasn't too big. Her smile was small and gentle, as if she were a little shy while posing for a photo. Her hair fell down in light waves, much neater than she expected. He used pen for the sketch but used a colored pencil he must have had on-hand to color her eyes sea green.

Usually everyone took note of Sakura's hair, bright pink and unable to miss. This man looked at her and saw past it, thinking her eyes were the most beautiful color she had. She was almost grateful for his attention to detail.

"Sai," she read at the bottom of the page. "Is that your name? Mine's Sakura, Sakura Haruno."

Sai smiled as if he knew something she didn't. "Ah, of course. The infamous Miss Haruno."

Sakura blushed. "You know of me." It wasn't a question.

"Yes, I heard your name earlier," Sai said. "The owner was here earlier, when the bar first opened, and had a brief meeting with his staff. He told them to watch for a Miss Haruno and make sure she had anything she asked for. She was special, he said."

Sakura suddenly knew why Genma had been betting Iruka that the bartender would cater so dutifully to Sakura. Genma had expected this would happen and wanted to test his theory. She was special and his friends knew it, and now his employees did, too.

Apparently the coffee shop owner did have a soft spot for her.

* * *

**Sai has made an appearance! I know he's pretty OOC in this (being chatty and all), but I couldn't image any other character for this role in the story! I hope you all see that he is rooted in his real personality, he's just very aware of it like when he knew it was odd to ask to draw her. **

**I'm sure you all know who Ino's boy is, but drop a review letting me know! **

**If I get enough reviews today I'll post the next chapter later tonight! You'll all want to read it ASAP. It'll include Kakashi jealously and possibly a moment between them! Plus fun Sai and Sakura friendship time :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you to generaltay (twice!), Yoohyuk, Feather-Crowned Queen, and Guest Gabi for your reviews! **

**WARNING: This chapter may make you want to cry, scream, or throw things at me! Possibly in a good way, possibly in a how-dare-you-end-it-there way. ;)**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Sakura had one more friend that night after she left the bar—Sai. They talked for hours, the entire time Sakura sat until she realized Ino wasn't coming home any time soon. She learned he had always loved art and lately has been interested in drawing people during their "natural habits," as he called it. The bar had been his recent camping space because of all the interesting people that came through. Sakura told him to come to the coffee shop sometime; it would be quiet and he could draw a different crowd of people there.

After Sai told Sakura about Kakashi warning his employees to treat her well—and apparently pay her tab—she didn't think about Kakashi surprise news at all. Sai had kept her distracted well enough, which she was grateful for. But as she lay in bed that night, she couldn't help but let her thoughts wander.

What would she say to him? How would she act around him? How _should_ she act? Did he want something from her? Why did he have such a soft spot for her? Was it odd that he was at least ten years older than her? What did age have to do with anything if she wasn't going to date him? Who said anything about dating, anyway?

Sakura fell asleep with none of these questions answered.

Sakura woke just before ten o'clock the next morning. Thankfully Sundays were typically reserved for high schoolers, the bottom of the totem pole, to work. She didn't know if she could handle post-drinking shifts two days in a row.

While checking her phone, a text came in from Sai. Sakura wanted to laugh at how delightfully abnormal Sai could be. No guy texted the next day unless they wanted to look desperate. Only Sai wouldn't care about that. She remembered how he had asked to draw her the night before and immediately apologized for being weird. Apparently being odd was something Sai was working on, though she thought he was wonderful the way he was.

Sai wanted to spend the afternoon together, suggesting they go for coffee then look at art and book stores—catering to both their pleasures. He would be at her apartment in thirty minutes, so she jumped to get ready.

The past two nights Sakura had to worry about dressing to please Ino. Today she could wear whatever she wanted. She slipped on her only pair of blue jeans and a tight-fitting gray t-shirt. It was the distant cousin of her work uniform of black pants and a white top. Close enough for comfort but different enough for originality.

She worried if leaving her hair straight and down was good enough. Should she curl it for him, or even make waves like he drew in the sketch of her? Her regular flat hair was plenty for friends hanging out, but if this was a date, she would need to do something more special.

Was it a date? Normally guys wouldn't tell Sakura if they were going on a date — getting coffee was definitely a date — but Sai seemed to be the type to make that clear upfront. Coffee and shopping was casual, yes? It must not have been a date, which was probably for the best. She had enough trouble sorting the intentions of her boss. She didn't need to worry about Sai, too.

Sai knocked on her door just as she was sending a text to Ino, making sure she wasn't kidnapped by the guy she chased down at the bar. On second thought, _he_ should have been scared of _Ino_. She could be fiesty and unpredictable, especially if she didn't get her way.

"You look pleasantly comfortable," Sai said as they walked to the coffee shop. He was wearing khakis and a white t-shirt, which must have been his version of pleasantly comfortable, very similar to Sakura. Simple and efficient.

She liked Sai.

"Thank you." She looked back at him while she reached for the coffee shop door. "Not everyone appreciates comfortable."

"Sakura, watch-"

Just as Sai was speaking, Sakura bumped into someone and arms wrapped around her. She whipped her head back and gasped at who was holding her.

Kakashi Freaking Hatake, CEO.

"Pardon me," Kakashi said. Sakura could image a wild smirk under his scarf. "Please, go ahead."

Sakura walked through the door, looking back at Kakashi as if he would pull out a knife and stab her. He didn't, but he might as well have with how he threw himself in front of Sai and let the door nearly slam in her friend's face. It would have felt the same.

"Sai, are you OK?" Sakura asked, opening the door. She gave him a smile, then shot a glare at Kakashi. "I'm sorry, sometimes rude people come here."

Sakura didn't know what was wrong with Kakashi. Other than the massive amount of hot hair that must go to his head from being an important CEO. An important jackass CEO, she corrected herself.

The three walked to the counter together, which she found awkward. Sai was standing beside her, naturally, but Kakashi seemed to make a point to walk slow enough that she brushed against his back every few steps. She held back her curses each time, trying to remember that he was her boss.

"Large coffee with half almond milk, half 2%. Foamy. Three espresso shots," Kakashi told the girl at the counter.

"Okay," the girl said slowly. "Large coffee with almond and low fat-"

"Almond and 2%," Kakashi corrected her.

Sakura barely contained her groan. She didn't need to peak around Kakashi to know Moegi was working, the girl that had proved herself useless on so many occasions.

"Right, almond and 2%. Two espresso shots-"

"For the love of — move!" Sakura said, pushing past Kakashi to the counter. She reached over to push Moegi to the side, then scooted over the counter on her butt. "Everyone is useless," she muttered.

Sakura threw on a pair of gloves and started making Kakashi's drink, one that she knew better than her own order. As she was pouring milk, she heard Kakashi say, "isn't she just the best?" to Sai. She rolled her eyes.

Drink in his hands, Sakura shooed Kakashi away. He winked at her as he moved towards his back table. "I'm going to kill," she started.

"Sakura, we're next," Sai said gently. If he had a comment about Kakashi or Sakura's behaviors, he kept it to himself. "Just a green tea," he told Moegi.

Sakura relaxed a little as she smiled. She knew Sai would be the tea type. She ordered a hot chocolate for herself, and the pair went to sit down. On the opposite side of the room as Kakashi.

"Is your banter friendly or malicious?" Sai asked.

Sakura snorted against her cup. Banter was hardly the word that came to mind when she thought of her interactions with Kakashi, at least not anymore. She may have called it that before, but now she meant every eye roll and sarcastic remark. "It's all real now."

"Because he likes you?"

"Tch, no." She brought her cup to her lips to try and hide the blush creeping up her cheeks. "Kakashi is my boss. That's it."

Sai's eyebrows pinched together. "No," he said in that slow voice he used when he wanted Sakura to really understand. "I don't believe I've personally offended him, as we've never met until today, so he must be jealous."

_Jealous_.

When Sakura was younger she tried eating ten saltine crackers without water, a challenge she and Ino saw on the Internet. The way the crackers stuck to her dry mouth was exactly how the word sat with her now.

Kakashi couldn't be jealous. He was that annoying customer that ordered complicated things and let her complain about her job.

But now everything has changed. He's her boss, one that can't seem to leave her alone. Because he has a soft spot for her. Because he gives her special treatment at his bar and lets her drink for free and lets her dance _real close_.

Because he's jealous. Because he likes her_._

Kakashi Freaking Hatake, CEO likes Sakura Haruno. Sai had to be right.

"I just don't see it," she told Sai. She finished the last sip of her drink, and checked to make sure his was also empty. "Let's go. I want to show you my favorite bookstore."

* * *

**Phew! That was a lot, huh? **

**It's 10 AM now for me. If I get some awesome reviews I'll post it later tonight! You have until 9 PM before I'm AFK. Good luck! May the odds be ever in your favor! **


	9. Chapter 9

**I was so excited for this chapter, I decided to post it anyway! I've been planning this since the beginning. :)**

**Thanks to generaltay, Feather-Crowned Queen, and Guest Gabi for the reviews!**

**If you wanted to scream, punch, kick, or shake me after last chapter, best of luck with this one. ;) We'll be getting some _amazing_ moments but also some not-so-amazing ones that are important! I swear I'm not just being cruel.**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

"Sakura, do you enjoy bondage?"

"Sai!"

"I'm sorry, I just found this book. It seems to be about a rich man coaxing a young woman into his bed, bondage being his preferred sexual-"

"Sai, I _know_ what _Fifty Shades of Gray_ is, OK?"

Sakura and Sai were at the bookstore down the street from her house browsing through the discount bin. Sai loved looking at the books with Sakura the previous weekend, so he asked her to join him this Friday afternoon.

Sakura needed the distraction. Since Kakashi began his odd behavior—Sai had her convinced it was due to jealousy—Kakashi had been in the coffee shop every day to see her. Though he always came in every day, she was on high alert for suspicious behaviors. She'd convinced herself even him visiting was proof of his interest in her.

"I'm going to the new releases," Sakura told Sai. "I think the last book in this trilogy I've been reading comes out today."

Sakura walked across the store to the new releases. When she rounded the final corner, she gasped when she saw Kakashi standing there, reading the very book she was looking for.

"I quite like Dante," he said. "You, however, seem more like a Scarlet girl."

Sakura had always used nicknames for Kakashi before she knew who he was, and Tella and Dante were the most recent names she used, days before she knew who he truly was. Tella and Dante were from the same book, as well as Scarlet. He was teasing her. Again.

"Can you move? I'd like to grab a copy for myself," she said. She knew he'd be standing in front of all the copies. It was the best way to ensure she interacted with him.

"Sorry, doll." He stepped aside and showed her the empty section of the shelf. "Looks like this is the last one."

She reached for the book in his hands, but he moved back. "Give me it. You don't even read."

She reached for it again, and he held it above his head. "I actually do read, just not this trash."

"This...is...not...trash!" She jumped between her words, trying to get the book. If she didn't love the series so much, she wouldn't have put her pride aside to beg and jump.

On her last jump, he grabbed her wrist, keeping her close. "How about we make a trade? It's only fair."

"What…"

Her nose bumped into his chest and she was drowning in his cologne. It was something spicy and warm and very distracting. She looked up at him and saw the outline of his jaw through his turtleneck. She hadn't wondered before, but now she was dying to know what was underneath.

He must have realized she didn't care about the book anymore. The arm holding it fell to his side and his other hand went on the back of her head, holding her close. This snapped Sakura out of her daze. She pushed him back and ran off to find Sai, leaving him dumbfounded in his spot.

X

Later that night, Sakura was watching TV alone in her living room. Ino was at the bar again with that guy—Shikamaru, if she remembered correctly—and Sai was out somewhere drawing random people.

She didn't mind. She was used to being alone. A week ago she only had Ino, and spending the week with Sai didn't make her forget what it was like to be by herself. She had her alone-routine down-pat: order a pizza and open a bottle of wine.

She drank two glasses before she heard a knock on her door. She assumed it was the pizza guy, so she was surprised to see Kakashi there, a wrapped gift in his hands. "Can I come in?" he asked.

If it wasn't for the present, she would have said no. Okay, she wouldn't have.. She didn't have it in her to let him stand outside when he journeyed to her house, though she wasn't sure how long the journey was. Where did he live? She hadn't wondered before. "Fine, but I'm opening this now," she said.

They stood in her kitchen as she opened the present, which was the book he was teasing her with earlier. It may have been cheesy, but she was so happy she jumped at him and hugged him so close her cheek touched his.

Kakashi held his surprise well and hugged her waist as soon as she was in his arms. "If I had known that was all it took…"

With that, Sakura was rolling her eyes and walking to her living room. Kakashi followed after a moment and watched her drink from a full glass of wine. He smirked at that, only mildly surprised. "Are you even old enough to drink?" he asked.

Sakura flinched as if she was surprised he was there. "I'm 23," she said. "I graduated from college a year ago."

Kakashi helped himself to her couch, and she sat beside him. "What did you major in? Barista-ing?"

Sakura laughed at his made-up word. The wine was definitely making her relaxed. "English, actually."

"Ah, my second guess," he said. She swatted at his arm, and he caught her hand. It slipped into his and fell onto his leg. Neither of them moved. "That seems oddly...impractical of you. I imagined you doing something with security, like Ino with nursing."

Sakura felt something in the pit of her stomach, almost like jealousy. Of course he talked to other employees at the coffee shop, but how did he get so close to Ino? Ino must not have spent her time being sassy with him and actually had real conversations. _What else does he know about her?_ she wondered.

"I always wanted to be a doctor." She sighed. "For a girl like me, English _is_ safe."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed fractionally. He said secure, not safe. What did she mean? He dropped it for the moment and said, "do you have career goals, or do you plan to be at the coffee shop forever?"

Sakura knew he wasn't being obnoxious with his question, only curious. "I'd like to write someday, but for now I'm happy there. It's a good job, pays the bills."

"I'll be sad to see a beautiful girl like you go someday," he said.

Her eyes snapped to him. He didn't say the coffee shop would be sad if she left. _He_ would be sad. Her cheeks heated up as she tried to decipher his meaning. Then, of all the things she could have said, she blurted, "Would I be missing a beautiful boss?" her curiosity over his face still present.

She expected him to tell her she was being inappropriate or simply answer her question, but instead he reached his fingers out and pushed her eyelids down. She felt him shift beside her then his breath tickling her lips.

Slowly, she brought her hands up to his face. His turtleneck was pulled completing down. Her fingertips brushed from his ear to his chin. His lips brushed against hers. She sucked in a breath of air. He chuckled.

She moved both of her hands to the back of his head, weaving her fingers into his hair. He did the same with one of his hands and used the other to bring her closer, practically on his lap. Then he really kissed her. His lips moved against hers as if he had years of experience, which she realized he had. He had probably kissed dozens of women, while she's never been kissed before.

He moved his hands, rubbing her one side. She tingled everywhere he touched. His other hand pulled at her hair before sliding down to her neck, pulling her impossibly closer. She could barely feel his heartbeat against hers.

Her pulse starting quickening. Fast. Faster than it should have been. Instead of thinking of his lips, she started thinking about his hands and what they could do. They could claw and squeeze and yank and hit and...

The fingers on her neck found her scars there, the many crescent moons peppering her skin.

Choke. His hands could choke her.

She moved her neck back as far away from his at she could and sucked in a huge gasp of air, as if he really had choked her. She kept her eyes squeezed shut, scared of what she would see when she opened her eyes.

"Sakura?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"Let me go!" She had shouted at him, even though his hands were already untangling from her. She easily got off of him and the couch. She still felt his hands, though, tight around her throat.

Kakashi could see the panic in her wide eyes. Pure panic, far greater than he could have caused. She looked terrified of him. _But what did I do?_ he wondered.

"I'm sorry," he said, because what else would he say? "Do you want me to leave?"

Sakura finally opened her eyes. He had slipped his turtleneck back over his face. She could only see his eyes, boring into her. No malicious intent, only raw concern. His slouched body wasn't going to lunge at her, his hands weren't going to grab her.

She was safe.

"No," she said, shaking her head. She let out a laugh to try to lighten the air around them, but it only made it heavier with how strangled and forced it sounded. "I just… I've never…"

He let out a breath of air, relieved nothing was wrong. She was just scared, probably due to inexperience. He could work with that. "Come 'ere," he said.

She ran towards him and hugged him tightly around the waist. He chuckled and put one arm around her. She noticed how realized he was. She knew he saw her as a shy girl who freaked out about him kissing her. He had no idea of the turmoil that went on in her head. That was fine.

They both heard a knock at the door. He slowly let her go as she said, "pizza guy." They walked to the kitchen together. He learned against the counter while she opened the door. The pizza was there but not in the hands of the pizza guy.

"Hey girl," Ino said, smiling.

* * *

**This story is definitely underway, so I'm going to start holding chapters for ransom! Seven reviews before the next chapter is published. (I see you, my 17 followers.) **

**Brownie points for anyone who knows what series Sakura has been reading!**

**Also, let me know what you guys think of a Gaara x Sakura story, an AU. I've recently fell in love with the pairing, so I might write one next. If not I'll just use my idea for Kakashi x Sakura :) **


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you to ****lyndyloowho, Krazykat16, Guest, generaltay, Gabi, Yoohyuk, and Feather-Crowned Queen for your reviews! **

**I know until this point there's been very little plot outside of the Sakura x Kakashi relationship, but we're about to see a lot more about Sakura's past as the next little arc starts. **

**Enjoy~**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

"Hey girl," Ino said, smiling. "I met the pizza guy downstairs and covered it." She stepped inside the apartment, revealing a man behind her. "This is Shikamaru. We decided to move the party here. Wow, it really is a party."

Sakura followed Ino's line-of-sight to Kakashi, who gave an awkward wave. This was really going to be awkward. Ino brought her date, which basically made this a double-date. Ino still didn't know Kakashi was their boss. The boss that Sakura just made-out and freaked-out with.

"I'll get a bottle of wine. Shikamaru, hold the pizza," Ino said. She threw the pizza into Shikamaru's hands and got into the fridge for wine. Sakura already had a wine glass for herself, so she handed one to Kakashi and held Ino and Shikamaru's.

The four went into the living room and spread out. Ino and Shikamaru took up the entire couch, so Sakura and Kakashi sat around the coffee table. Ino already had all the glasses full and was working on finishing hers.

"Oh, right," Ino said suddenly. "This is Shikamaru. Shika, you met Sakura at the bar. And this is…"

"Ino, can I talk to you?" Sakura said the same time Kakashi said, "Kakashi."

Ino's eyes widened just as Sakura grabbed her arm to drag her away. She was in her bedroom in seconds, throwing Ino in and shutting the door.

"Kakashi as in Kakashi Hatake?" Ino threaded her fingers into her hair and started pacing in circles. "He's our boss. He's our boss."

"I found out last week," Sakura said, "the day I filled-in for Gai. I didn't know how to tell you."

Ino's thoughts were spinning. She didn't process anything Sakura said. "Why were you alone with him? He's your _boss_, Sakura! How old is he anyway? Thirty? Thirty-five?"

"Nothing-" Sakura stopped herself. She was going to saying "nothing happened" but that was a lie. Something did happen. Something _big_.

Ino saw Sakura's face drop. "Something happened," she said.

Tears started gathering in Sakura's eyes. She didn't realize until that moment how happy she was that Ino had come over. She needed to talk to her best friend, about what happened and what didn't.

"He kissed me," Sakura said. "Or maybe I kissed him, I don't know. It was great and then it wasn't and I freaked out." She was talking faster and faster. She and Ino both sat on her bed. "I started panicking, worrying about what would happen. Then he touched-" she brought her hand to the back of her neck, over her crescent moon scars- "and I don't know what happened."

Ino nodded. She took a moment to think before asking, "Does he know?"

Sakura shook her head. "I jumped away so fast, and I didn't say anything. I think he thought I was scared about kissing him. He must have thought I didn't have much experience and that's why I was scared." She didn't have _any_ experience, which Ino knew. She had never even held hands with a boy before, let alone an older man like Kakashi. Of course she was nervous to some degree. But that wasn't the whole story.

"You need to be careful." Ino grabbed Sakura's hands. "If he is something you want, you'll have to work hard to keep him. Take things slow, OK? Maybe don't tell him right away."

The girls hugged, staying like that until Sakura's eyes dried completely. If the boys thought they were gone an awkwardly long time, neither said anything. They had been talking about a recent sports game when they got back, and the conversation easily switched to the recent episode of a popular TV show. Sakura didn't watch TV, so she just nodded along politely.

Sakura spent a lot of time watching Kakashi. He seemed at-ease, even if he was a lot older than they were. The way his eyes would light-up when he talked about something he enjoyed, how his eye crinkled when he smiled, and how his shoulders shook when he laughed. He was a man, no matter his age, and she was a woman. They could enjoy each other's company and laugh with friends. Did it have to be complicated?

Sakura snapped out of her thoughts when Kakashi leaned towards her ear. His one leg was bent in front of him so the way he leaned over Sakura couldn't see Ino or Shikamaru around his knee. "Is everything OK?" he asked.

She dared a look at his eyes, which was a mistake. He had the same concerned look as earlier when she jumped off his lap in total panic. He clearly cared for her. It was apparent in how he looked at her, like he wanted to fix all her broken pieces.

But could he? Could he piece her back together, make her whole? It probably wasn't possible, she thought, because she was never whole to begin with. She'd always been broken, so how would he know how to fit her back together? It'd be like being handed a thousand ceramic pieces and a bottle of glue. Was it a vase, a bowl, or something else? Maybe it was just leftover from other projects, not meant to stand on its own.

She never answered him. He leaned back away from her, but put his arm loosely around her back, his hand falling on the floor beside her leg. He easily fell back into conversation with Shikamaru, and Ino met Sakura's eyes.

Sakura's eyes had told enough stories for one day, so she looked away.

X

Kakashi didn't come to the coffee shop to see Sakura during her shift the next day, so she was surprised when he came to her apartment with Asian takeout and a rented movie. They ate while they watched the movie, then he left. He didn't sit too close and didn't try to touch her.

The same happened two days later. And the the day after that. Then the next day. Within one week, Kakashi came to see Sakura four times with a different type of food and movie each time. They spent more and more time talking, and soon Sakura felt like they were friends.

They still had many secrets between them. Sakura didn't know what he looked like under his scarves and shirts or why he covered his face at all, and he didn't know she was scared of him, deep down.

It was Friday night again. Ino invited Sakura out with her and Shikamaru, and she brought Sai along, too. The four went to a skating rink rather than the typical bar scene. Sakura was glad for the change. She was sick of liquor at bars or wine at home.

Sakura was having a great time. Ino and Shikamaru were off on their own, leaving her and Sai. Sai had never used roller skates before, so he was a fumbling mess. He clung to her as they went around the rink, often almost knocking them over. It was the most carefree she had felt since her kiss with Kakashi and the panic that followed.

"I didn't realize Kakashi had a girlfriend," Sai said quite abruptly. Sakura was so startled she tripped over her feet, sending both her and Sai to the ground.

"I think my ankle twisted," she said. She started crawling over to the edge where she could sit without being run-over. There she could rub and bend her ankle until it felt better.

Once they were sitting with their backs against the wall, Sai spoke again. "Did you know he had a girlfriend?"

"He doesn't." She cursed herself for speaking too quickly. Sai was still on her case about her and Kakashi liking each other, and she was only feeding into it.

Instead of answering, Sai pointed. Sakura followed his finger and saw Kakashi sitting with a woman. They were passing a milkshake back and forth and laughing. A lot. The woman's beautiful brown hair fell in front of her face as she leaned forward to hit Kakashi on the arm playfully, then it flew back with her head when she let out a loud laugh. Sakura could see how big and bright her eyes were, as well as the purple highlighter she used generously on her cheeks.

"You're surprised," Sai said. "Did he not mention her before?"

"Can you take me home?" Sakura asked. Shikamaru brought Ino and Sakura, and Sai drove himself. He could drive her without Ino and Shikamaru being stranded.

Sai wanted to say "I told you that you liked him," but he knew that would have been rude. His friend was clearly hurting, and he wanted to be supportive. Sakura was one of his best friends. He would not let her down.

Sakura declined his offer to stay with her when they reached her apartment building, and he told her he'd come over in the morning to check on her. He gave her one of his rare hugs before driving away. She watched his car completely disappear before she made her way up to her apartment.

As she approached her door, she saw a woman sitting in front of it. Her knees were pulled to her chest, her shoulders shaking with silent tears. She heard Sakura approach and looked up.

Sakura gasped, "Mom?"

* * *

**Sakura definitely has a past, which Ino knows about. When will Kakashi (and you) get to know? Let me know in a review if you want to know before Kakashi (and be one step ahead of him) or if you want to be surprised as he is! **


	11. Chapter 11

**You guys are totally awesome! I already got ten reviews (plus I've had an awful day) so I wanted to share the next chapter with you! Thank you to Feather-Crowned Queen, Gabi, ****lyndyloowho, Cruisegirl86, xyra23, Yoohyuk, generaltay, and Guests for your reviews! **

**Two people said they wanted to find out about Sakura's past with her and one person was undecided. SO I'm going to give you all just a little taste, but mostly let you figure out with Kakashi :)**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

Sakura stared at her cup of hot chocolate, not wanting to look across her dinner table to her mother. If she did, her eyes would focus on the bruise on her cheek. She didn't want to think about how it got there.

"You have a lovely apartment," her mother said.

"How did you find me?" Sakura asked. "Does Kizashi know where I am?"

"No, your father...I snuck out tonight. He doesn't know where I am, either."

Sakura's fingers tightened around her mug. She didn't want to start shaking in front of her mother. Showing weakness wasn't going to solve anything, so she would be strong. Even if her mother was never strong for her.

"We've both had a long day. You can sleep in my bed. We'll talk in the morning." It was as if Sakura was the mother, not the woman sitting across from her. "I have a first aid kit in the bathroom."

Sakura left her mother at the kitchen table. She grabbed her coat off the nearby hook and went outside, needing fresh air. Hopefully a walk would clear her head.

X

Even after her walk, Sakura had trouble sleeping. She laid awake on her couch, staring at the ceiling. She didn't know how her mother found her, which made her worried. If her mother could find her, why wouldn't her father be able to?

Though Kakashi should have been the last thing on her mind, she also thought about him and the beautiful woman he was with. She was under the impression he was interested in herself. Sai had probably gotten in her head, she realized. Kakashi was never interested and she had fabricated the whole thing. The kiss had been in the heat of the moment, and everything else was friendly. That woman was the one he really loved.

Just as the sun was rising, Sakura got a call from Gai, asking if she could cover an opening shift at the coffee shop. She had a feeling it was Moegi who called off. She told Gai she'd be happy to cover the shift.

After sending a quick text to Sai telling him not to come over to check on her, she went back to her bedroom. Her mother was sleeping soundly on the bed, and she noticed she had bandaged her face. "I can trust you, right?" she asked her, even though she knew she would get no answer.

X

Kakashi knew something was wrong with Sakura, and Sakura knew it. She didn't speak to him as she gave him each of his four coffee orders and never looked his way when he was sitting in his corner table, working on his laptop.

It wasn't just about his woman, though that played a part. As the day went on, Sakura became more and more anxious. Everytime the door would chime open, she would flinch and peak around a machine to see who it was. When there were no customers, she became lost in her thoughts. What was her mother doing in her house? Was she still sleeping or snooping around? Had she called anyone, telling them where to find her?

Her shift ended in early afternoon. She was excited to leave, to figure out what was happening at home. She was nervous to go, worried about what she would find when she got there.

To her surprise, Kakashi followed her out of the shop.

"Why are you following me?" she asked, not bothering to sound nice about it. She didn't have the time or energy to be nice to him.

"You're upset. Why?"

"That's none of your business." It wasn't her business to know he had a girlfriend, so it wasn't his business how she felt about it. And she certainly couldn't tell him that her mother was in her apartment, which panicked her to no end. He wasn't privy to that information. Not anymore.

She found herself wishing she lived farther away from the coffee shop. Within minutes she was entering her building, Kakashi still on her heels. He followed her up the stairs and to her door before she turned to him to speak again. "You're not going to barge in, are you?"

He seemed to take that as a challenge. "It isn't barging if you let me in. I know you want to."

She sighed. "Look, I really can't deal with this right now. Can you please leave me alone?"

"So something _is _wrong."

He reached out to touch her. She didn't know where, but her heart rate sped up just the same. Just as he touched the tips of her shoulder, her apartment door swung open.

"Sakura, there you are! I was worried-" Her eyes widened when she saw Kakashi. "Sakura, do you have a boyfriend?"

Sakura knew her face was already red when she looked back at Kakashi. He must have noticed how alarmed she was, because he extended his hand and said, "Kakashi, nice to meet you." Then he pushed Sakura inside as her mother backed up.

Her mother wanted to say more, Sakura knew, but she wasn't going to let her play Protective Mother. "We'll be right back," she said, pulling Kakashi back to her bedroom, the only enclosed space in the house.

"My, my, Sakura, how forward of you," Kakashi joked as the bedroom door was shut.

She let out a shaky breath, one that was heavy with almost-shed tears. She turned to face him and found she almost lost her words. Almost. But she could do this. She could tell him how bad her relationship with her mother was, why it was terrifying her mother found her, and-

"You have a girlfriend," she blurted out. His eyes widened. Her eyes did, too, realizing that she shouldn't have said that. She dragged him to her room to talk about her mother, not his gorgeous, age-appropriate girlfriend. "My mother just showed up last night. I don't know how she found me."

She could tell he was startled by her change of conversation almost as much as her declaration of his girlfriend's existence, but she could tell he was trying to follow Sakura was worked-up about a lot of things and needed the support he could give her. "Were you hiding from her?"

"I left home after graduation, came here to college. I didn't tell my parents where I went, and I haven't talked to them since." It was harder than she thought to tell Kakashi. She sat on the edge of her bed. He followed her lead. She noticed how he sat nearly a foot away from her. "It's...not good that she found me. I'm worried someone else will."

"Who? Is someone after you?"

She started crying fat tears that soaked his shirt as she clung to him, her hands fisted in the front of his shirt. He held her tightly, wanting her to know he wouldn't let go of her. She couldn't tell him everything — not right now — which they both realized. He would still be there for her the best he could, which they also both knew.

* * *

**Let me know what you think! Love it? Hate it? Want more of something, less of something else? Tell me what the people want! **

**Who's Kakashi's girlfriend? If you know drop it in the reviews :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you to , Feather-Crowned Queen, sierra358, Guest Gabi, McCartywife, lyndyloowho, Cruisegirl86, , and CelticSpring for your reviews! You guys are amazing. **

**This chapter is mostly fun :)**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

Sakura surrounded herself with friends while her mother stayed at her apartment. She was only alone with her mother while they slept, and she made sure she was home after her mother fell asleep and gone before she awoke. No one had come to her apartment since Kakashi came that first day. No one would meet her mother.

Ino knew the most out of all her friends, being Sakura's best friend. Though she didn't know specific details, she knew all the major events. She sympathized with Sakura about her mother's visit, but she knew if she came over to support her she'd punch Sakura's mother in the mouth. Kakashi came second, Sakura surprisingly realized. He knew she had a shaky relationship with her mother —her mother's presence scared her because someone else might find her — and she had her dark past looming at all times. Sai only knew her mother was visiting announced, and Shikamaru knew nothing.

Sakura wondered if Kakashi's girlfriend or friends knew. What all did he tell them? Did this count as standard gossip or something more? Would his girlfriend be privy to information his friends were not?

Kakashi brought his girlfriend to the coffee shop a few times, sometimes early in the morning. She didn't want to know what they were doing together so early. They stayed fairly platonic while drinking their coffee, only occasional touches between them, but the girlfriend was almost always laughing. She wore that purple highlighter on her cheeks every day, which Sakura found odd. It seemed a little fancy for everyday wear. But what did she know?

One day he had the audacity to flirt with her while his girlfriend sat across the room. He said she looked cute in the hat she was wearing. He even gave her a wink. This frustrated her to no end. For one thing, his girlfriend was a handful of feet away. She also hated that he complimented her at her worst — the hat was to cover her greasy hair because she was too hungover to shower — which was probably why he did it.

Sakura had successfully avoided needing to talk to the girlfriend until that night. A large group of people were going to play laser tag, including his girlfriend. Initially Sakura was excited, but soon the group began to include people she wasn't ready to meet, ones she didn't want to be in close quarters with, and strangers.

Ino had the idea to go and invited Sakura, Sai, and Shikamaru. Shikamaru invited his college girlfriend Tamari — it wasn't weird, Ino assured her, since Shikamaru and Temari were just good friends now. Tamari said she was bringing her two brothers, Gaara and Kankuro, who turned out to be the tattooed guys Sai had drawn at the bar. Kakashi overheard Ino telling Sakura all this, and soon he was bringing his friends. She knew that included the girlfriend.

There were so many people in their group, they decided for a free-for-all game with no teams. Most of them didn't know each other — or like each other — so teams would have been hard. Free-for-all was fine, though Sakura knew she would lose against all the boys. From what she's heard, Temari was the only girl who had a fighting chance.

Sakura, Sai, Ino, Shikamaru, Temari, Gaara, and Kankuro had their vests on and were ready by the time Kakashi arrived with his group. He had his beautiful girlfriend standing close with Iruka, Genma, Asuma, and Kurenai following.

"We don't stand a chance against these older, stronger men, right?" Sai whispered in Sakura's ears. She giggled and didn't fail to notice how Kakashi's eyes zoned-in on the sound, as well as who inspired it in her.

The procter assigned everyone a base to start at random. Three people were at each base. After the buzzer rang signaling the beginning of the game, the laser guns would be inactive for two minutes for everyone to spread out as they wished. The game would last twenty-five minutes after that. The person with the most points won.

Sakura was given a base with Kakashi and his girlfriend. So much for random assignment, she thought.

"You must be Sakura," the girlfriend said. Her highlighter glimmered in the dim lighting. "My name is Rin."

Sakura just nodded, hoping Rin saw her disinterest. The girl didn't seem to notice as she whispered something into Kakashi's ear. He seemed to smirk as she let out a harsh laugh. Sakura's cheeks burned, worried they were whispering about her, possibly how stupid she was for thinking a successful, attractive man like Kakashi would be interested in her.

The buzzer rang, starting the two minute timer for dispersal. Rin shouted, "Kakashi, come get me!" as they both ran off. Sakura didn't feel like running, not anymore. Instead she leaned against the wall and slid down until she was sitting, her legs stretched out in front of her.

If she scooted over a little further, Sakura realized she could see anyone rounding the corner before they saw her. People may come to tag the base, as it gave twice as many points as shooting someone, so Sakura was sure to see more people than if she randomly ran around. She could also tag the base while she waited every time its internal timer reset. "Maybe I can do this," she said out loud.

Minutes ticked by, and no one came. Sakura checked the small scoreboard on her laser gun, and she was fairing well. Out of thirteen people she was placed seventh. There were five girls in total, and assuming they were all doing worse than the boys, Sakura was beating the four of them and one of the boys. She assumed it was Sai, but it also could have been Gaara. He looked scrawny.

When a warning bell sounded to let all players know they were halfway through, she heard someone approaching. Sakura tried not to gasp in surprise. She didn't want to give away her location.

The footsteps stopped and a gunned arm stretched out. The person must have suspected someone was hiding, possibly because others were doing the same thing as Sakura. Knowing she had seconds before the person tagged the base and ran off, she threw herself onto her stomach to get close enough to tag the person.

She didn't get as far as she thought and landed with a hard _oomf_, not close enough. The person took two steps around the corner and shot her back. She looked up at male legs and a hang reaching down towards her. She took it and let him pull her up.

"That wasn't your most graceful moment."

Sakura wanted to groan. Of course it was Kakashi. "Yeah, well, I never claimed I was graceful," she snapped. She peaked her head around the corner, expecting Rin to be close behind.

"Looking for someone?" he asked in a teasing voice.

"Your girlfriend. It looks like you abandoned her. Very gentleman-like." She found herself crossing her arm, defensive and slightly angry on behalf of Rin and all girlfriends who had boyfriends that didn't help them win games they had no chance of winning.

"You see, I'm not sure who you keep referring to," he said, shocking her. "Unless I have a secret girlfriend that only _you_ know about."

She found herself blushing, hoping it was too dark for him to see. "Do you just share milkshakes and laugh a lot with any girl then?" She didn't know she was angry at him until she started talking, her voice filled with rage. "Considering you kiss random girls, I shouldn't be surprised with how you giggle together and-"

His turtleneck was down and his lips on hers before she could finish blinking. She let out a gasp, and he took the chance to deepen their kiss. He had her against the wall, one hand beside her head and one on her hip. She felt a burning in her chest and a tingle to her toes.

This was the second time they kissed, this time with no alcohol in her system to blame it on the next morning. Hopefully this time would also be without panic attacks or Ino and Shikamaru showing up to ruin it.

She let out a small moan and grabbed the back of his neck, yanking him flush against her. The kiss felt amazing, the way their lips and tongues moved together. She finally understood the hype of kissing. She never wanted him to stop.

A small voice in the back of her mind told her to push him away, to not let him get close enough to hurt her. The images of his hands wrapping around her neck came back, but she willed them away. She wouldn't let her subconscious ruin this moment. This perfect, wonderful moment where she felt as if she could float to the clouds and weave the sun's rays between her fingers.

They kissed and kissed until the alarm sounded, signalling the end of the game. He barely moved his lips away from hers, as if asking if she wanted to keep kissing regardless of the game ending. She answered his silent question by removing her one leg from his hip, where he must have moved it to some time ago.

"I'll have to tell my girlfriend about this. Rin gets very jealous, so lock your windows and-"

She started swinging her gun at him, aiming for his head. He laughed and ducked out of the way, pulling his turtleneck back up. She paused long enough to consider she could have seen his face if the lights weren't out then continued to try to hit him. He ran and she chased. Luckily he knew the way to the exit, because she had no idea.

They were the last ones to get to the exit. Everyone already had their vests off and were crowding around the giant scoreboard. Kakashi had his off in a snap, but Sakura was struggling. He moved in front of her to start unbuckling all the straps.

"Dude, what happened?" Genma asked, pushing his way through their little crowd over to Kakashi and Sakura. "You were in first place for most the game, now you're in 12th! The only one who did worse than you was Sakura!"

Kakashi got her vest off, so Sakura stepped away from the two men, not wanting to hear what Kakashi said in response. She didn't think he'd boldly declare he'd spent the last half of the game making-out with her so he fell behind, but he may have some smart remark.

Ino came over to Sakura, excitedly telling her how she got fifth place. Shikamaru had helped her, she said. Apparently he wasn't the type to abandon a girlfriend in a game she couldn't win on her own. "I'm sorry you got last place," Ino said. "You must have been trying really hard."

"What?" She was looking over at Kakashi, who was laughing with Iruka and Genma. She looked back to her blonde friend. "Why do you think I was trying hard?"

Ino laughed as if the answer was obvious. "With how sweaty and red-faced you are, you must have been running the whole time!"

Sakura had only moved two steps from her original place, minus the leap towards the ground she made, but she played along for Ino. "You caught me. I tried super hard and still sucked."

"You'll get 'em next time." Ino draped her arm around Sakura's shoulders. "Come on, come chat with Temari and her brothers. They're a blast!"

Sakura looked back one last time at Kakashi, who was already looking at her. A fresh coat of red dusted her cheeks, and he gave her a wink. She didn't know what their kiss meant or where they stood, but she did know for the first time in weeks she forgot about her mother waiting for her at home.

* * *

**Thank you for taking the time to read! Please leave a review, letting me know what you think! I'm happy to take constructive critisism, ideas, and general thoughts :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. I don't think it came out as well as I would have liked, but everything in it is important for the plot! **

**T****hank you to all my reviews, favorite-ers, and followers! A shoutout to , Krazykat16, Gabi, Cruisegirl86, Yoohyuk, and ****RalyksKunoichi for your reviews!**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

Sakura didn't ask much of her friends. Take their shoes off when they entered her apartment, don't make fun of her odd pink hair, and don't touch her books with their grubby fingers. It wasn't a lot, but apparently it wasn't enough. She needed to add one more rule to that list: leave her alone when she's trying to read.

Her phone chimed for the third time in that hour. She caved and picked up her phone, finally deciding to read Ino's texts.

_What's up? _

_We're going out. Come with us. _

_Sakura Haruno, txt me back. _

She sighed. _I told you I was reading tonight_, she typed back. She had only left Ino two hours ago, after they closed the coffee shop. She told Ino multiple times that she wanted to go home and read, to finally relax.

Ino's name and photo popped up on the screen. Sakura tried not to roll her eyes as she swiped to answer the call. Before she could speak, Ino said, "_You had an hour to read, two if you count when you ignored me_."

"I don't want to go out," Sakura said. "I'm almost finished with this book."

"_Too bad._"

Ino hung up as Sakura heard a knock at her front door. Not wanting her mother to hear and rush out of the bedroom, she got up to answer. Ino, Shikamaru, and Sai were on the other side. Sai at least looked guilty for interrupting her.

Ino's eyes swept over Sakura's pajamas, no words being needed to show her disappointment. Sakura rolled her eyes and headed back to her room to get going-out clothes. Sai followed her close behind.

"I'm sorry," Sai said. "I hate when my brother interrupts my art."

She smiled at him, letting him know she wasn't angry with him, then threw open her bedroom door. Her mother was laying on the bed, watching the small TV in the corner of the room. Sakura had it installed so her mother didn't need to hover over her in the living room.

"Oh, you have a friend," her mother said. She pulled a blanket over herself as if her tank top and shorts was scandalous.

"We're going out," Sakura said. "Don't worry about getting up." She didn't need her mother going to the living room and meeting Ino.

Her mother popped off the bed anyway, thankfully not moving towards the door. Instead she picked up Sakura's hairbrush off the dresser. "Remember when I did your hair before your school pictures?" she asked.

Despite Sakura's reservations with her mother, she appreciated the small moments. Letting her mother do her hair for the night wasn't anything amazing, but it was something good they could share, if even for a moment.

Sakura sat at the edge of her bed, and her mother moved behind her. While her mother brushed her hair, she directed Sai to pick a dress and necklace for her. He had great taste as an artist, so she'd been letting him help her get ready to Ino's standards.

Her mother swept her hair into a braided updo, humming quietly as she worked. Sakura's hair was only to her shoulders, so she needed to secure it with bobby pins to keep it in place. As she moved to secure the first one, she gasped. "Sakura, what are these?"

Sakura shivered as her mother's fingers ran around her neck, tracing the crescent-moon scars. "You know what they are," she said bitterly. When her mother stayed silent, she scoffed. "Of course you don't know what they are. What was I thinking?" She stood up and grabbed the bobby pins from her mother. She'd pin it herself with the mirror on her vanity-dresser.

"Honey, I don't know what you mean," her mother said. "You've never said anything about-"

"Mom!" Sakura whirled around, fire in her eyes. "I told you everything for _years_. I stopped talking to you when I was scolded one too many times for 'lying.' If you don't know what these are, that is _not_ my fault."

"Sakura, wait!"

Sakura roughly grabbed the dress and necklace from Sai's hands and left the room. He followed after her, closing the door behind him. He knew Sakura didn't want her mother following her.

"Sakura, are you okay?" Sai asked. He grabbed her arm to stop her from going into the bathroom. He reached out to wipe her tears away, but she shrugged him off.

"Don't mention it, Sai," she said. "Just don't."

Sakura changed, splashed her face with water, and put on her makeup. She held her head high, not wanting her mother or anyone else to see her pained. Shove her feelings down, smile wide, and don't let anyone know she's anything less than delighted. Just what she grew-up doing.

X

Sakura looked around the bar. It was crowded but not stuffed to the brim like usual. The novelty of the place must have been wearing off, though she had a feeling Kakashi made sure all of his establishments stayed desirable. Current music, trendy drinks, and happy people. He always aimed to please, she was realizing.

"Aren't you having fun?" Kakashi whispered, the cloth of his turtleneck tickling her ear as he leaned in close.

He was sitting beside her, just close enough to make her ever-aware of his presence. Not enough to make her forget her fight with her mother, though, and he knew. He knew something was off with her. She hated that he knew her so well. It also thrilled her.

She hummed and nodded, eyes focused on Gai as he told a story about a clumsy new employee. Her wide-open eyes followed his animated gestures, but when she blinked she'd have a brief moment of seeing her mother standing over her small figure, yelling at and cursing her. They only lasted a moment while she blinked, but it made her dizzy. The alcohol wasn't helping.

"His hands were buttery, I swear!" Gai was saying.

Kakashi and Gai were drinking at the bar when Ino, Shikamaru, Sai, and Sakura arrived. Ino and Shikamaru ran off to dance, and Sai and Sakura decided to sit with the two men. Sai had pulled his sketchbook out immediately, and looking at Kakashi brought memories of kissing during laser tag. Gai was her only sane source of entertainment, and even he wasn't distracting enough.

"He grabbed it by the neck so fast, it just flew across the room! If he'd just taken his time-"

Sakura choked on her drink. Gai stopped talking, and Kakashi started patting her back. Sakura barely felt his hand as she was thrown into her memories. She wasn't picturing a boy grabbing the neck of a creamer bottle. She was picking large, rough hands, reaching towards her…

Sai put his hand on her knee, and her eyes snapped to him. He was still drawing in his sketchbook, not even looking at her. She saw his lips turned downwards, just slightly.

"I'm fine," Sakura said. She looked to her other side at Kakashi. He was back to listening to Gai.

Gai talked for another ten minutes before he finished his story — or at least paused for more than a second. Kakashi took the chance to stand up and grab Sakura's hand. Being a bar with only restrooms, a seating area, and a dancefloor, she knew where he was taking her. Sai would be fine, she knew, so she let Kakashi take her to the dancefloor.

Kakashi wasn't a big dancer, but he enjoyed swaying to the music. Sakura didn't mind, since she didn't know how to dance, either. She let him pull her close to him and rest his chin on her head. She felt safe with him, and all her anxious thoughts slipped away. She was there with him, and that was all that mattered.

"I'm glad you came out tonight," he said.

She moved her head back so she could look at him. His eyes were smiling, which made her smile. "You haven't been coming into the coffee shop."

"I have a new project I've been working on," he said. He ran a hand over the braid of her hair, wishing he could run his fingers through it. "It's almost ready to show you."

She was going to ask why he wanted to show her — he's never showed her any of his businesses — but her breath was taken away when he leaned in close. Their noses touched through his turtleneck, and she felt the heat from his breath.

"Sakura!"

Sakura turned her head just as Ino appeared, pulling her back from Kakashi. "Shikamaru just told me he and Temari went out to dinner last night _alone_. He's totally hooking up with hr. I _knew_ I couldn't trust him with her! I'm so out of here."

The music was loud and she was still on a buzz from being so close to Kakashi, so Sakura only understood half of what Ino said. She knew Ino was being dramatic, whatever was going on about with Shikamaru and Temari. They had settled long ago that his ex became one of his closest friends, and there was no way he'd cheat on Ino. Sakura wasn't worried; Ino and Shikamaru would make-up by the next afternoon.

Ino stormed away, and the moment was broken. Sakura and Kakashi made their way back to Sai and Gai. Gai grabbed Kakashi and sat him next to him, continuing his story as if he never stopped. Sakura giggled at the two before looking to Sai, who seemed to be finishing his drawing. He showed her the page, and her heart stopped.

He had drawn her neck. Her hair was pulled up in the braided updo. One of her hands were pulling up the short strands slipping out, and the other was clawing at her neck. The crescent-moon scars were bleeding black where she touched. Everything about the picture was dark and foreboding, even her hair being a gray color.

It was scarred and ruined and dark and alive, everything she had felt while fighting with her mother.

"Sai," she choked out.

"You don't have to tell me, because I understand," he said. "I know you've been through something traumatic, and I know your mother didn't believe you about it."

She grabbed the sketchbook to look closely at the drawing. "Maybe she's right and it was never bad," she said lowly.

Sai put a hand over the sketchbook, forcing her to look up at him. "Don't let hindsight kill the truth," he said.

Sakura had never heard it spoken so beautifully. Hindsight _was_ killing her truth. Her brain told her it couldn't have been as bad as she remembered, while her heart told her it wasn't a lie. ust because she was no longer in pain didn't mean she hadn't felt ever painful second. Sai's picture showed how real the pain was.

"Will you draw more?" she asked. "If I tell you more, will you draw it?"

Sai smiled wide, wider than Sakura had ever seen. She had a feeling she just gave him a project far more interesting than drawing people at a bar.

* * *

**I have most of the story outlined now :) A lot of fun stuff happening soon! We'll learn more about Sakura and Mebuki's relationship, Kakashi and Sakura's relationship will develop further, we'll meet Naruto and Sasuke, and much more! **

**Make sure you're following so you can be tuned-in for all these amazing updates you'll be seeing! Drop a review about what you're looking forward to the most!**


	14. Chapter 14

**ATTENTION READERS. We interrupt this story to bring you a heartfelt, sweet chapter between Sai and Sakura. Please sit back, enjoy, and try not to miss Kakashi too much. ;) **

**This chapter goes out to and Cruisegirl86, who seem to be Sai's biggest fans with this story! :)**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

"Good morning, Sakura! It is so wonderful to see you shining brighter than the sun!"

Sakura giggled at Gai's announcement as she entered the coffee shop. Sometimes he was too energetic for the front counter, which was why it was good he was the manager. He mostly hid in his office with paperwork, unless he was training new employees. Today he had a young man standing beside him, probably the one who he was whining about the other night at the bar.

Sakura smiled at the boy when she reached the counter. He stood straight with confidence, but she could see an underlying nervousness in his eyes. She immediately looked at his nametag, _Lee_. When she looked up to his eyes, she was shocked to see his hair identical to Gai's. She was shocked she didn't instantly notice. It was like they were father and son. She knew Gai had no children or siblings, so he couldn't be a son or even a nephew. It was so odd.

"Lee, this is Sakura Haruno, our shining employee! You'll do well to remember her so you may always give her a smiling face!"

"Yes, sir! If I give a customer one smile, I shall give her four!"

Sakura gave awkward laugh. Yes, Gai could hide back in his office. Making their lives easier. His mini-me, on the other hand, would be front and center. There was no escaping him.

"Can I just get some pastries?" she asked. She looked at the glass display. "Can I have half a dozen strudels? Mix the flavors, but make sure there's two apple."

Lee rushed to get her order together, moving as if he was racing someone. He took her money just as fast. She hoped he was trying to impress Gai and not her; she didn't need him developing a crush.

She thanked them and headed for the door. Just as she reached to open it, she turned back around to shout, "I'll see you tomorrow!" When she turned back, she ran straight into a man's chest. "Excuse me."

"Hn."

The man brushed her off, walking up to the counter. She stared at the back of his head as he walked away, thinking how odd his hair was. His black hair was thick, sticking straight off the back of his head.

She hugged the box of pastries close, humming as she left the store. She had a train to catch.

X

Sakura smiled as she walked up the driveway to the quaint little house. It was built with dark wood and stone, the normal style for the houses on the outskirts of the city. It looked far cozier than her apartment ever could, and she hadn't even gone inside yet!

She knocked twice on the maroon-colored door. It opened almost immediately, Sai smiling on the other side. "Please come in," he said, opening the door wide for her.

"Your house is so cute," she said, looking around. Soft colors were everywhere. Light blue and yellow pillows sitting on the brown couches, vases with fresh flowers sitting on every available surface. There were many pictures on the wall, of Sai and his brother, Shin, and also with a man and woman she didn't know. They must have been his parents.

"Is that Sakura?" a woman's voice drifted in. A second later a stout woman popped into the room, holding a dish rag. "Oh, it is! I just heard you from the kitchen — I was washing dishes. Oh, come here!"

Sakura was scooped into a hug, making her laugh. Luckily Sai grabbed the pastries before they were crushed. When the woman set her down, she smiled wide. "Please, call me Akimi. My husband isn't here right now — Did you bring us pastries? That's so sweet!"

Akimi grabbed the box from Sai and popped it open. "Oh, you even grabbed his favorite, apple! What a nice friend you are! I'm washing dishes now, then I'll be making lunch. What would you like? I'll make anything—"

"Mother," Sai said with a sigh.

Sakura giggled. "Whatever you make will be wonderful, Akimi."

Akimi beamed. "I'll just put these in the fridge. We can eat them after lunch."

"Bye, Mother," Sai said. He grabbed Sakura's hand and started leading her through the house. "Annoying woman," he muttered, though Sakura hear in his voice that he was smiling.

The upstairs revealed a sitting area with couches. This room, unlike the living room, had many bookshelves. The square room had four doors around the edges, bookshelves stuffed to the brim along the free wall space.

Sai gave her a quick tour of the upstairs. The bathroom was first. His parent's door was shut, as well as Shin's. "He's probably sleeping," he offered. The last room was his. He let her peak inside, and she wasn't surprised to see how plain it was. He had minimal furniture and decorations. "We're going to the basement." They snuck downstairs quickly, Sai not wanting his mother to stop and talk to them again.

"Wow, Sai," Sakura gasped when she saw the basement.

The room was made into an art studio. Canvases were everywhere: leaning against the walls, sitting on easels, and stacked in piles. A bookshelf in the corner was filled with sketchbooks, and another had books that appeared to be about art history and methods. The far end of the room had a couch facing a TV, bookshelves on either side with gaming consoles resting there and their games beside them; it must have been Shin's side of the space.

"I'm glad you like it," Sai said. "Come here."

Sai took her to the bookshelf with sketchbooks, where he pulled out a softcover leather one. He let her look at it. As she flipped through the pages, she felt tears coming to her eyes. All the pictures were of her. Some were simple portraits, others were of her at the coffee shop making coffee. Each drawing was beautiful and unique, and she was touched that he had spent so much time drawing her.

"Shin said it was an obsession, but I think-"

"Sai, they're beautiful!" Sakura said, interrupting the beginnings of a nervous explanation. "This makes me happy."

Sai nodded, ending the conversation. He sat at one of his stools, watching her as she looked around. She peaked at canvases, flipped through sketchbooks, and smiled. She smiled a lot. Sai was happy. He had never shown anyone his art outside of the family.

But Sakura was family. So he supposed he was still keeping it to his family.

After an hour, Sai heard footsteps coming downstairs. Sakura didn't noticed, engrossed in one of his sketchbooks. He looked back at the steps and saw his brother. He was staring at Sakura.

"Woah, man, I didn't realize—"

Sai jumped to him and yanked him up the stairs. When he let him go, Shin shouted "Hey!" and rubbed the spot Sai grabbed him. "Don't," Sai said. "Don't be like that with her. She's my best friend, and you will not make it any more than it needs to be, for me _and you_. She's off-limits."

"Hey, hey, hey." Shin threw his hands up. "I wasn't going to try to date your _total babe_ of a best friend. I have standards, and she must have something wrong with her if she's hanging around you."

Sai punched his brother, then went to get Sakura. She didn't comment on the black eye growing on Shin's face, though she was itching to know what happened.

Akimi spoke all through lunch. Asking Sakura one question led to seven tangents. She said her hair was natural, which led Akimi to talk about her favorite lipgloss being the same shade, the time she colored her hair pink when she was a teenager, and the pink flowers Sai's grandmother loved. Sakura thought it was endearing. Sai...not so much.

"Mother, please leave Sakura alone," he finally snapped.

Akimi flinched as if she'd been slapped. Sakura put a hand over Sai's and smiled. "No, Sai, it's wonderful," she said. "You know I don't have a relationship with my mom. Akimi, you're just like how I wished my own mother was."

This cheered Akimi up, which made her talk more, much to Sai's frustration. Shin found the whole situation amusing. He was starting to love Sakura, and annoying Sai was an added bonus.

"What's your boyfriend like?" Shin asked as soon as there was a break in conversation.

"Oh, yes, do tell us!" Akimi cheered. "I'm sure he's very special to catch a heart like yours."

"Oh, I don't know," Sakura said. Her face was beginning to match her hair, and she knew Sai couldn't save her. "There's a guy, but we're not dating. We're just good friends, for now."

Sai snorted. Sakura wanted to giggle at the sound — she'd never heard him snort before — but she was also irritated at him for it. She knew she shouldn't have told him about the kiss during laser tag. He had asked her many times before why she and Kakashi weren't dating already, and that had been the ultimate fuel for the fire of his badgering.

"Well, I'm stuffed," Sakura said, pushing her plate away. She didn't want anyone else asking about Kakashi. "It was delicious, Akimi. Sai, should we get some drawing done?"

Shin, thankfully, stayed out of the basement. Sakura was going to tell Sai stories of her past, and she really didn't want Shin listening. She was nervous enough about Sai knowing.

By the end of the afternoon, Sakura had half a dozen drawings and tear stains on her cheeks, yet a slightly lighter heart. It was good to talk, she decided, and she greatly appreciated Sai supporting her. She took her drawings home, planning to hide them from her mother. She wouldn't be showing anyone, ever.

* * *

**Next Chapter: Sakura and her mother have a breakthrough. **

**Please review, letting me know what you think! **


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey everyone! I'm really glad you all liked the SaiSaku last chapter :) Anbu-chan and I were chatting after her awesome review, and my next story will probably be a SaiSaku! Let me know what you think of that. I was already given a few awesome ideas, but I'd love to hear more!**

**A lot of people have mentioned Sakura and her mother's rocky relationship. There definitely is a struggle between wanting to love her mother and hating her just the same. You'll all learn more about why a part of her hates her mother eventually! For now, we're watching Sakura trying to mend things with her mom. This chapter is a tribute to that, where progress is made between them. **

**Enjoy~**

* * *

**Chapter 15**

_Just got off work, bad day. Going out. Temari is coming. Be ready by 8_.

Sakura sighed at the text from Ino. She had just gotten off work herself, and wanted to relax the rest of the evening. She knew Ino was super stressed at her job, though. Ino was almost finished with her nursing internship at the hospital, so she was getting more and more responsibility. The hospital was testing her, Ino had said, to see if they should hire her full-time after the internship.

Sakura changed into a pair of skinny jeans, a tight blouse, and a pair of heels, hoping it was good enough for Ino. She was too tired to worry about putting on a dress and makeup. Talking with Sai the day before brought too many memories, and she could hardly sleep after that.

"Are you going out?" Sakura's mother asked when she saw Sakura's outfit.

"Ino has a girl's night planned, nothing major," Sakura said. She went to the kitchen to get a bottle of water, hoping to get hydrated before she drank.

Her mother followed. "Can I come? I've been cooped up too long. Please, I'll be kind to your friends."

Sakura didn't want her mother meeting her friends. Kakashi and Sai had met her, but Kakashi had been an accident and Sai was her best friend. Her level-headed best friend. If Ino met her, she'd probably punch her — which Ino had told her many times. And Temari, Temari was a new friend. They barely knew each other. Could they really meet her?

"I don't have to sit with you," her mother went on. "I can just go to meet new people. If I make friends, I'll leave the apartment more. Maybe someone will even mention a job."

Sakura doubted her mother would get a job. She had never worked, since her father had supported them. But the friends part, that could happen. If she made a friend, that would mean she left the house once, maybe twice a week. One night out with her mother was worth that, right?

"Go get dressed," Sakura said.

Her mother finished getting ready just as Ino and Temari arrived. Sakura's friends stared at her mother, surprised to be meeting her. "This is Mebuki, my mom," Sakura said, her voice strained as if this was under duress. "She's coming with us tonight."

Ino was skeptical, but agreed. Temari didn't know better, and started a conversation with Mebuki. Sakura didn't mind. She took the front seat while Temari and Mebuki chatted in the back.

"We're sitting at the bar," Ino said when they arrived. "I need rapid-concession shots."

There was no line to get inside — it being a weekday — so they got right in and found four seats at the bar. Sakura avoided eye contact with the bartender, not wanting him to rush over to wait on her. Her mother didn't know Kakashi was a business owner, and if the bartender said anything revealing then she might just figure it out.

"Sakura, what a lovely place!" her mother said.

It was just quiet enough at the bar that the bartender heard and looked over. Sakura smiled sheepishly at him and he briskly walked over. "What can I get for you?" he asked.

"Shots," Ino said. "Keep 'em coming."

The bartender came back with four shots. The young girls drank their fast, but Mebuki took her time. As soon as she set the empty glass down, the bartender brought four more.

"Such great service," Mebuki said.

Ino and Sakura exchanged looks, trying not to laugh. They knew the bartender was trying to please Sakura because of Kakashi, but Mebuki didn't know what. They were going to keep it that way.

Sakura, Temari, and Mebuki were content with their two shots, while Ino drank two more before they all headed to a table, mixed drinks in hand. Ino started going on about her awful day, where the only highlight was the new doctor. "He's totally lost, of course," Ino said. "He doesn't know the building. So while they try to help him, I get a second to breathe. I'm so grateful."

"Hey," Temari interrupted. "DILF, four o'clock."

Ino and Sakura turned around to look, while Mebuki was confused. "What's a DILF?" she asked.

"Dad-I'd-Like-To-Fuck," Ino said, giggling at Mebuki's shocked face.

"Turn around. See that guy over here? Long blonde hair? He's totally looking this way," Temari explained.

Mebuki looked over at him then sighed. "Girls, he is too old for you."

Temari and Ino giggled. Even Sakura smiled. "Mom," she said. "He's looking at _you_."

Mebuki's cheeks flushed, making the girls laugh more. "I can't," she said. "Your father—"

"Isn't here," Sakura snapped. She finished her glass and handed Mebuki's to her. "So you're going to down this, waltz over there, and find out what a real man is like."

Mebuki frowned. She did what she was told, anyway. She chugged her drink, gagging a little at the taste of the alcohol, and went over to the man.

"Oh my god, she's going," Ino said. "I can't believe she's going."

The girls got more shots brought to them and started their girl-talk. Ino and Temari had a fight about Shikamaru, where Ino accused Temari of cheating with him and Temari was angry at Ino for accusing her. Then they talked about Sai. He was a total Cutie Pie and Sakura should snatch him up if Kakashi didn't work out, they said. Kakashi...Sakura wouldn't let them talk about him. The alcohol made her lips loose, and she knew she'd squeal about laser tag. They'd never let her live it down; they'd tease her worse than Sai did.

They were just talking about Kiba, the new guy Temari met, when Mebuki came back. She had a frown on her face, which made the girls worry. She sat down and sighed, took a shot. Then she grinned and handed Sakura a slip of paper.

"This is a phone number," Sakura said, looking at the seven digits written down.

"Mebuki!" Ino cat-called. "You go, girl!"

"He's going to take me to lunch tomorrow," she said. Her eyes were lit up like a teenage girl who found her first love. "His name is Minato."

The girls giggled for a while about Minato. Eventually they became so drunk all they could do was giggle about giggling. The bartender called cabs for the girls, knowing Kakashi would expect nothing less, and eventually the four had to call it a night.

It wasn't the worst night with her mother, was Sakura's last thought before she fell asleep that night.

* * *

**Well there you have it! Minato is in the story, which means someone else might be coming soon ;) **

**Let me know what you think please! What do you want to see more of in the story? I have the basic plot mapped out for the rest of the story, but I can _easily_ squeeze things in :)**


	16. Chapter 16

**Thank you to all the reviews! Special shoutout to .hatake, who's climbing her way through chapters in between work. (I hope this makes you smile!)**

**This chapter should be exciting for you. Some drama, some romance, and some of Kakashi's thoughts at the end :)**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

Sakura's head was pounding when she woke. She didn't know what time it was — her curtains were drawn and her bedroom door was shut — and she was almost scared to look at the clock. Though most of the night was a blur after her mother talked to that man, Minato, she knew she didn't get home until very late. Or very early. Had the sun been peeking out?

She rolled over in bed and saw a glass of water and a bottle of painkillers on her nightstand. She reached for those first, not counting how many pills she took before she drank the whole glass. She reached for her phone next and found a sticky note stuck to the screen.

_Went to lunch with Minato. I'll call before I come home. XOXO Mom_

"XOXO my ass," she mumbled. Just because they had one good night, her mother thought they were on hugs-and-kisses bases. Typical Mebuki, always hopeful.

She crumpled the note and tossed it in her wastebasket. Then she finally dared to check the time. It was nearly half past noon. Kakashi had already texted her.

_Missed my favorite barista this morning...lunch? :) _

Sakura smiled. Her moments with Kakashi had been fleating since she visited Sai. Reliving her awful childhood did not put her in the mood to decipher her ever-confusing relationship with her boss, that's for sure.

As she was thinking of texting Kakashi back, her eyes traced over her bookshelf. The colorful spines, that one book flipped upside down, and the stack sitting on the floor, waiting to be sorted.

Forget texting Kakashi. Her bookshelf was a _disaster_.

Before she knew it, Sakura was buried in books. She had her hundreds of books in stacks around her. She didn't know how she wanted to sort her bookshelf this time — by height, color, author, title? — so she kept stacking and restacking. As she worked, she backed herself into a corner. Literally. The task had become too large, and she had no choice but to finish unless she wanted to start climbing over her towers to get out of her room.

Her phone buzzed twice for a text and rang once for a call, but she hadn't been able to get to it. She didn't mind, being occupied as she was. She didn't regret not carrying her phone until she heard a knock on the door. Then another knock. And another.

Whoever was at her door felt impatient enough to let themselves in.

It could have been her mother. She said she'd call first, so she could have been the missed call. But she wouldn't have knocked three separate times on the door just to let herself in.

The footsteps sounded male. Sakura grabbed the biggest book within reach — a book of William Shakespeare's complete collection, hardcover — preparing to throw it. The footsteps got louder and louder until he was standing in the doorway.

She threw the book anyway. And of course he caught it.

"I texted and called. Overcome by my worry for you, I make the journey across the city, only to have an anthology thrown at my face."

"Shut up, Kakashi."

His eyes flashed with amusement, then his face dropped as he looked around the room. "Is this why you've been ignoring me? To make a tomb?"

Sakura didn't answer. She went back to her task, trying to find all her red books and stacking them to her left. She didn't make eye contact when he leaned against her door jam and watched her, didn't blush when his eyes started looking over her in her tank top and shorts. She didn't flinch when he started walking towards her, stepping around her books. She didn't breathe until he grabbed her by the arms and lifted her into the air and her head spun.

"_Kakashi_!" she squealed.

"I brought Chinese, so you're going to eat it with me," he said. He tucked her under his arm and carried her towards the kitchen.

Not five minutes later, they were sitting on the kitchen floor, throwing lo mein noodles at each other. Sakura was laughing so hard tears were in her eyes, and Kakashi was smiling wider than he ever had.

A long noodle hit her right on the forehead, making a small _smack_ before it fell into her tank top. Her cheeks flushed in both embarrassment and anger.

"Sorry," Kakashi said, trying not to laugh. "Want me to help you with that?"

Before she could tell him no, Kakashi's fingers were down her shirt, grabbing the noodle. Thankfully she had on a bra, but that wasn't going to make her forgive him easily. Making a bold decision, she grabbed the container of sweet and sour sauce. While he was still leaning over her, she dumped it on his head.

He gasped as the liquid slid between his eyes, dripped off his nose, and gathered inside the scarf wrapped around his face. "You didn't just do that," he said. She nodded, laughing too hard to respond. "You ruined my scarf."

"Then take it off," she said boldly.

Kakashi's fingers twitched towards his scarf then lowered, like he planned on following through but changed his mind. His eyes bore into her, making her squirm in her spot. He seemed to change his mind again, and in a flash his scarf was off his face.

Her breath hitched, and she drank in the site of him. His jaw was hard the whole way from his ear to chin, his lips just as soft as they had felt every time he kissed her. Just at the corner of his mouth, her eyes caught a jagged scar. It jumped from the bottom of his right to the top of his left, then went up to the side of his slightly upturned nose. She was torn between looking at his handsome features or the scar. The better features won-out, and her finger traced along his jaw, then hooked up to the tip of his nose.

"Sakura," he said, sounding breathless.

If she had to guess, very few people saw his face. He was an expert at showing nothing while eating, waiting until someone turned away or pulling his scarf out enough to slip his food inside. Even when they had kissed he didn't let her see.

She didn't ask how he got the scar. It didn't matter. What mattered was that he had showed her, trusted her. Having no words to say how much his trust meant to her, she gently grabbed the sides of his face, her thumbs tickling his cheeks. She shifted so she was kneeling closer to him and looked in his eyes. He put one hand on the back of her head, bringing her forward. She shut her eyes, ready for him to kiss her.

She realized he wasn't going to kiss her when she felt a small drop of something cold slide onto her forehead. She looked and saw his cup of sweet and sour sauce hanging over her head. "Kakashi," she said in warning.

"It almost matches your hair," he said.

"Kakashi, no!" she squealed as she jumped up, running away. He chased her through the house and back to her room, where she slammed the door in his face. "Don't get anywhere near me _or_ my books with that!"

He easily pushed the door open and quickly had her pinned against her dresser. Knowing she had no chance of getting the bowl from him, she decided to distract him. Before she could even think, she pulled him down to her and kissed him. He tensed in surprise, then pulled her closer with his spare hand.

She thought she didn't want to deal with him because of her stress, but he was exactly what she needed. Her thoughts slipped away, and all she felt was the warmth spreading from her chest outward. She never wanted the feeling to end. When she felt him pulling back, she boldly grabbed his hips and brought him back. He let out a groan from the back of his throat and pulled her back just as tightly, dropping the cup of sauce in the meantime.

"Ka...ka...shi," she said, trying to get his name out between the kissing. She got him off her enough to give him a scowl. "You got sauce on my carpet. Now I have to clean it."

He pouted but stepped away. The sauce had to be cleaned before it stained. She slipped away from him, and he looked at her dresser while she was gone. It was the only surface in her room without a book on it. He did see a folder, though, and opened it without thinking.

His brow furrowed. The folder had half a dozen sketches in it. They were all of specific parts of a woman's body: hands, feet, hips, stomach. The last photo made him gasp slightly. It was of the back of her neck, her hands in her gray hair. The only color came from the scars, some still bleeding.

He remembered the first time he kissed Sakura. He had felt something on her neck, but she pulled away before he could register what they were. Were they scars? Was this drawing of her? It wasn't a far stretch, he realized. Sai was an artist. He probably drew it, drew all the photos. But what was the point?

When he heard Sakura's footsteps coming back, he shoved the drawings back in the folder and turned around, acting as natural as possible. She cleaned the sauce and put the supplies away in under three minutes.

He felt dirty for spying. Clearly her past was as dark as his, if any of the scars and burns on those drawers were real. He needed to make it up to her, even if she didn't know he snooped.

"Let's organize your shelf," he said. "You'll find I have quite the eye."

Sakura smiled the entire time they organized, and Kakashi's guilt eased just a little.

* * *

**NOTICE ABOUT A NEW STORY**

**I'll be participating in NaNoWriMo this year! I'm new to it, so I'm not sure how it all works. You may be getting a new story July 1st, if I'm supposed to update as I write. If not, expect it August 1st, after NaNoWriMo is over! **

**The story is going to be SaiSaku with KakaSaku mixed in. It will be a royalty story, with Sakura being the...prince? Yes, she's the prince! King Danzo hid her gender when she was born, knowing a princess would never be accepted as Heir in their world. Sakura spent her whole life as Prince Haruno, dodging female suitors as they come. One suitor, Lady Ino of Yukigakure, is relentless! She refuses to leave until she has secured an engagement, meaning her brother, Lord Sai, won't be leaving either. The story is about identity, love, and finding your place in the world. **

**I'm going to write enough chapters of this story in advance so my new story won't interfere with updates here. **

_If you're looking forward to my new story, drop a review telling me :) Ideas are welcome, too! Review, send a PM, talk to me! _

_Let me know what you think of this update, too :)_


	17. Chapter 17

**We have a little more private Kakashi moments here, because he has a surprise for Kakashi! Remember that vague project he mentioned in Chapter 13? Well, we're getting an update :)**

**I wasn't going to update for a couple more days, but I _had_ to get this chapter to you guys! We're really starting to get to the parts I've been most excited about, as well as some of the not-so-exciting things that we need for the story. Because we not conflict, not just constant happiness and fluff :(**

**Without further ado~**

* * *

**Chapter 17**

"I can't believe this is your last day!" Sakura squealed, grabbing Ino's hands and jumping up and down. "I'm going to miss you so much." They had worked together at the coffee shop almost as long as they'd known each other.

Ino smiled. "I know but-"

"Though we have only known each other a short while," Lee interrupted, "I do hope you will show your beautiful face here as often as possible!"

"I won't miss him," Ino mumbled to Sakura, making the pinkette giggle. "Thank you, Lee," she said louder.

The coffee shop was closed, but Gai reopened it for employees to have a small celebration for Ino. She and Sakura just finished their last shift together closing the store when Gai and Lee burst in with cake, balloons, and presents for Ino. It was a total surprise, and Ino thought it was very sweet. Even if the two most overbearing people in the world were throwing the party.

Not all the employees had arrived yet. Moegi came with her new boyfriend Konohamaru, and they were whispering in a corner together. The two older ladies — who Sakura never worked with, since they worked the mornings she didn't — were huddled around the gifts they brought for Ino, no doubt discussing what they bought her. They still had a couple more to come, but they would probably be there soon.

"Is Shikamaru coming?" Sakura asked Ino, who was texting.

"Huh? Oh, no, this is him now." She waved her phone a little before going back to texting. Her and Shikamaru hadn't had a major fight since Ino accused him of cheating with Temari, but Sakura had still noticed a strain. They had more small fights than before.

"Kakashi, welcome!" Gai shouted from across the store.

Sakura felt the back of her neck heat up. She didn't know Kakashi would be coming. He was the boss, yes, but Ino wasn't exactly his star employee. Not that Sakura was, though she liked to think she was.

Sakura turned towards Kakashi and tried not to smile, lest Ino start her teasing. He was just finishing talking to Gai and turning to face her. His eyes smiled when he saw her, which made her think of his face. The beautiful face that haunted her dreams.

"My beautiful Sakura, I got you a piece of cake!" Lee said, jumping in front of Sakura. He held out a plate with a massive piece of cake. A corner piece with a giant flower made of frosting, clearly one of the best pieces on the cake.

"Uh, thanks, Lee," she said, grabbing the plate.

"Please eat without abandon! You're beautiful figure will not perish from one slice!"

"Lee!" she gasped, her cheeks flaming. She peaked around Lee to see Kakashi a few feet away. She couldn't tell what face he was making under his turtleneck, and she really hoped it was a smirk instead of a grimace. The last thing she needed was Kakashi thinking she had a thing with _Lee_.

Lee started going off about how Sakura should not be embarrassed and her beauty keeps her youthful, all the garbage sayings Gai says. He really was a mini-Gai. He even had the same bursting energy and the inability to let anyone politely walk away from a conversation. There was no saving someone once Gai or Lee started talking to them, unless someone else dragged them away. Kakashi was one of the few who could steer Gai away, and apparently his powers extended to Lee.

"Lee, is it?" Kakashi said, moving between Sakura and Lee, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I don't believe we've officially met."

Sakura watched Lee's face change multiple times. The bubbly excitement while speaking with her faded to an annoyed face of being interrupted, then quickly to confusion. "Kakashi Hatake," Kakashi supplied. Lee's face changed to a mix of embarrassment and happiness.

Sakura didn't want to listen to Lee fan-girl over his boss, so she turned to talk to Ino. Ino was just finishing a text and stuffed her phone in her pocket. "Sweet, a corner piece," she said, grabbing Sakura's cake. She stuffed a big piece in her mouth then said, "You're coming to the hospital tomorrow for my first official lunch break, right?"

"Oh, I don't think so," Sakura said slowly, as if she could make the rejection less painful.

"What, why not?" Ino asked rather loudly. Lee and Kakashi stopped talking to look over. "You have to come, as my best friend."

Sakura looked over her shoulder at Lee and Kakashi, panic filling her eyes. "Ino, I can't," she said. Ino was about to say something, so she quickly added, "not a hospital."

Ino's mouth opened into a big "o". She ate two more bites of cake, then said, "Sorry. Right. We'll go to a restaurant."

There was a new Mexican restaurant Ino said they should go to. Another nurse who also finished her internship would be coming, as well as the new doctor. Recently the doctor had started seeing Ino and this other nurse as fellow lost-in-the-big-hospital people, so they were all becoming fast friends.

Ino got dragged away after that. Everyone wanted to give her presents, so she went to each person to open them. Most of the gifts were either coffee mugs, symbolizing the job she was quitting, or nurse-related items, for the job she was getting. Then Gai passed out cake to anyone Lee hadn't already given a piece to, and everyone started telling stories about Ino at the coffee shop. Sakura even gave some from outside of work, mostly stories of her being drunk.

Just as Gai started his third round of stories, Kakashi went up to Sakura. "Let's get out of here," he said. She didn't ask where because anywhere Gai wasn't yelling was a good place. She gave Ino a wave on her way out, and Ino gave her a wink in return.

Once Kakashi was driving, she asked where they were going. "I just need to stop at the hospital real quick," he said.

"What? No, go back!" Sakura yelled. She wildly looked around, and when she saw a hospital sign she took the steering wheeling and jerked it the other way, nearly running them into another car.

"Sakura!" Kakashi gasped, pushing her back. "Stop, I'm kidding!" He never raised his voice at her, but she could see the fear in his eyes. She scared him grabbing the wheel like that. "I'm sorry, I just heard you tell Ino you didn't like hospitals. I thought maybe you hated needles or something."

Or maybe she had bad experiences in one, he thought. He still couldn't get Sai's drawings out of his head, the ones of the beaten and damaged woman that was probably Sakura.

Sakura let the air out of her lungs. She didn't say anything, having nothing to offer him. She panicked, not for the first time around him. Last time was when he kissed her for the first time, and she may have played that off well enough. This time, there was no denying it.

They drove for fifteen minutes in silence before Kakashi pulled into a parking lot. Sakura was surprised to see it was a furniture store. "It's nearly midnight," she said. "It's definitely closed."

"Not for the Hatake Corporation," he said, trying to make a joke. When she didn't laugh, he added, "I'm making it worth it, trust me."

They walked up to the doors, and a young guy in a tucked-in polo was already standing there, ready to open the door. "Welcome, Mr. Hatake. Please, right this way." They followed him to the back of the store, making Sakura guess Kakashi called ahead with a specific item in mind.

They stopped at the bookshelves.

"Please let me know when you decide," the man said. "You can put these yellow tags on any you like, then just let me know how many of each." He handed the tags to Sakura before walking away.

"Kakashi, what…?" She was speechless. She looked at the four tags in her hands like they were alien artifacts.

He pulled down his turtleneck and gave her a wide smile. "You heard him. Go pick which ones you like."

She looked at him for a minute, partly to marvel at his face and also to see if he was going to say "just kidding!" He didn't, so she slowly started walking around, looking at all the shelves. Some were only as tall as her hip, others nearly twice her height. Dozens of colors, from wood to neutral to hot pink.

She found one shelf that nearly had her drooling. The shelf was about eight feet tall and three feet wide. It had a small cupboard at the bottom and seven shelves, the top one being extra tall because of an arch. The color was gorgeous, the same blue clouds are just before sunset. "This one," she said breathlessly. She slapped a yellow tag on it.

Kakashi had her find one more shelf, one that came to her waist. She quickly found one with a dark wood color, which would look great beside the blue. He wouldn't tell her why she was picking out the shelves. She knew they weren't for her, because she couldn't fit a new bookshelf anywhere in her apartment.

The employee came back over, and Kakashi jerked his turtleneck back up. "Did you find acceptable shelves, Mr. Hatake?" the man asked.

"Sakura, why don't you go see if you can find a nice desk? I believe it's in the next room over," Kakashi said.

Once Sakura was out of sight, Kakashi turned back to the man. "I'll take whatever desk she picks out, as well as a nice office chair. Pick anything you'd like, just make sure it's comfortable and matches the desk."

The man nodded. "And the bookshelves?"

"I'll take six of the short ones and fifteen of the tall blue."

* * *

**Please review :D**


	18. Chapter 18

**I have a long update for you! I didn't want to make two short chapters out of this, so I smooshed them together, just for you guys ;) **

**NaNoWriMo is underway, and I have a chapter's worth finished already! I might start posting in a week or so. I'll be sure to keep you all posted. **

**SouTorment, I hope I didn't make you wait too long! And thanks to 50blades for your review spam :D**

* * *

**Chapter 18**

Sakura had to take an Uber to get to the Mexican restaurant. It was across town from her apartment but only a couple blocks down from the hospital, making it the perfect place for Ino to have her "First Lunch as a Fulltime Employee" celebration.

Ino's break didn't start for another twenty minutes, but Sakura wanted to have an appetizer ordered and ready for her friend. She went to the host and said she'd be getting a table for herself, Ino, and two others.

"Ino Yamanaka?" the host asked. Sakura nodded, surprised the woman already knew. "We already have Dr. Uchiha at a booth for your party. Please, right this way."

Sakura followed her, dumbfounded. She probably looked like an awful friend, letting a man Ino barely knew get there before her _best friend_. She was also confused, because Ino said they all had lunch at the same time. How could he be there sooner than Ino? Was he a jerk that cut-out before the girls, refusing to walk over with them?

They approached the booth from behind, and Sakura felt something vaguely familiar about the back of his head, the way his thick hair stuck straight back. She couldn't quite place where she's seen him before.

"Right here, Miss," the host said, motioning for Sakura to sit at the booth. Sakura sat across from Sasuke, wanting to sit next Ino when her friend got there. "Would you like to order appetizers while you wait?"

"Can I get an order of nachos with extra—"

"Pico," Dr. Uchiha finished. "Already ordered."

The host slunk away, and Sakura was left gaping at the man sitting in front of her. He was _damn_ good looking, she realized. She was worried about him stealing the title of Ino's Best Friend — especially after he knew her favorite appetizer and already ordered it — but now she was wondering if Shikamaru should be more worried.

"You must be Sakura," he said, eyes focused on her hair. "Dr. Sasuke Uchiha."

Of course he threw in the "doctor."

"Sakura Haruno, no title," she said. She was hoping he'd notice how stuck-up he sounded by giving his title.

He smirked. "Don't you have a little mouth." He leaned across the table. "I like that."

Despite herself, she blushed. Was he flirting with her? This hot, probably-single guy she couldn't get involved with. Even a friendship would end in a disaster as long as he worked in a hospital.

"Hey guys!" Ino chirped, coming up to the table. She pushed a girl with long, dark blue hair in the seat beside Sasuke. "Sakura, this is Hinata. Hinata, this is Sakura, obviously. Sorry we're here late. Nurses get shorter lunch breaks than doctors."

"I have nachos on the way, extra pico," Sasuke said, smiling at Ino.

Sakura held back her gasp. Sasuke was acting like an entitled ass two seconds ago to her, and now he was acting all sweet with Ino. He even took full credit for the appetizer, even though he knew fully well she also asked for it. He could have at least said "we got you nachos."

"You're so sweet, Sasuke," Ino said. She turned to Sakura. "Isn't he just awesome? We're _so_ lucky to have him as a doctor. The hospital is a brighter place since he came. All the other doctors are stuffy old men who—"

Sakura kicked Ino under the table, making the blonde gasp. Sasuke raised a brow at Sakura, knowing what she did. Hinata was none the wiser, happily looking through the menu and humming. At least she seemed sweet, unlike the doctor sitting beside her.

The waitress came by soon after to get their food and drink orders, dropping off the nachos while she was there. Sasuke ordered a taco salad right after Sakura did, which made her wonder if he was trying to bond or annoy her. Probably both.

"Hinata moved across the country," Ino started saying. "She went to nursing school online, then up and came here for her internship. Cool, huh?"

"It's not a big deal," Hinata mumbled, blushing. Sakura could tell she was a really shy girl.

"It is!" Ino said. "I could never move so far away like that without my family. I was born and raised in this city, and I'm here to stay!"

"Where are you from, Sakura?" Sasuke asked, startling her. "Do your parents live close?"

"She moved here for college and has the cutest apartment," Ino answered for Sakura. "It's right near the coffee shop where we work. Hinata, you should try the coffee shop sometime. It's really cute. Watch out for the manager, Gai, though. He'll chat your ear off!"

Sakura let out a breath. She was grateful for Ino, as well as her skills in rambling. She didn't want to talk about her family, especially to a man she just met, one who works in a hospital. Ino knew that, and she jumped in to save her. Once again. Ino was good at saving her.

Hinata asked questions about the coffee shop until their food arrived, then Ino and Hinata started gossiping about other nurses at the hospital. Sakura stared down at her salad the entire time, feeling Sasuke's eyes boring into her. She didn't know what his deal was, and she didn't want to find out.

X

Kakashi showed up at Sakura's apartment later that night. He found Sakura alone doing dishes, wearing jean shorts and a worn-out tank top. She smiled when she saw him, but with how hard she was scrubbing the dishes, he knew something was bothering her.

"Mom's out with Minato again," Sakura said. "It's the third time this week. Isn't it awesome? I've read two books already. I have so much free time without her breathing down my neck."

He grabbed a towel so he could help dry the dishes. It was oddly domestic, which made her smile. "I think you're too hard on her," he said. "She's trying hard, even I can tell."

"You don't understand. There's a lot you don't know."

He wanted her to tell him, more than anything. He wanted to know of her pain, to take it away. But she kept that special box locked in her heart, refusing to let him in. He knew Ino and Sai knew, so he stung she wouldn't tell him.

When the dishes were done, he told her he had somewhere to take her. She slipped on her sandals and they walked down the street, close enough to bump hips every few steps. They went down a few blocks, the opposite direction of the coffee shop.

"Ah, here we are," he said.

She looked around at the building they stopped at. The outside looked a little worn-down, the siding cracked and dirty. The windows had newspapers taped to the inside, and one had a deep crack across it. He probably could have opened the door without the key. Just give the door a good push and the lock would break, she thought.

The inside was completely empty aside from three paint buckets in the middle of the floor. The floor wasn't even a floor. It was stripped to the bare bones, just that rubber-looking layer that's usually installed underneath linoleum. All the edges around the windows and doors were taped-off with the blue painting tape.

"What is this?" she asked. "It looks awful."

He put a hand over his heart and gave her a sad face. "That hurts my heart, Sakura. This is the new project I told you about."

She vaguely remembered him mentioning a new project the last time they were at a bar together, though she had been pretty drunk at that point. "And your going to make me paint?"

Instead of answering, he handed her a paintbrush. Then he pulled off his turtleneck, revealing a cotton t-shirt underneath. She was shocked at how good it looked on him; she had only ever seen him wear turtlenecks, and now she never wanted him to put one on again. The shirt was doing wonders, stretching against his arm muscles.

They got to work after that. He opened up the cans, which were full of honey-brown paint. She painted edges with her small brush, and he used a paint roller to get the wall. They painted in silence for a while before Sakura asked, "Do you just get to start businesses whenever you want?"

She looked back at him, and he had stopped painting. "You can think of it like that, yes," he started explaining. "I do own a portion of Hatake Corporations, which I can invest into and create businesses as I choose."

"Who owns it, your dad?" He had never mentioned his family before, she realized.

He nodded. "He started the Hatake Corporation himself, then when I turned eighteen he made a division within it, the Leaf Division. It's a piece of the main hub, but it acts as its own individual unit. He isn't benefited or harmed by any business decisions I make, just as I'm not affected by his."

"Why not make your own corporation then?"

"That would be more work later. Whenever my father dies, I'll get the entire company. It's a lot easier to liquidize a Division into the main Corporation than it is to merge two separate Corporations."

She didn't know what to say to that. He certainly was a wealthy and powerful man, and she didn't want him to think she was hanging around him for his money or status. If she got too curious, he may get suspicious. Or maybe he wouldn't and she's the paranoid one.

When she stopped asking questions, he continued speaking. "The coffee shop was my first business, a gift from my father. He transferred ownership to me, and it basically became a new business. I changed the name and everything. Naturally I asked Gai to be the first manager. We were best friends in high school, as odd as he is." He chuckled.

"After that, I mostly invested in other businesses. I had spent so much time and energy in the coffee shop, I was scared to do anything else. I didn't want to try hard for a new business but it not be enough, and I didn't want the coffee shop to suffer if I took my time from it.

"The bar was sort of a rash decision, honestly. Iruka saw the building for sale and said I should buy it. The coffee shop has been running itself for years, so I decided to give it a try. I spent nearly a year planning before I opened it. I knew my father would be watching, since it was my second business over ten years after my first; he wanted to make sure I still knew what I was doing."

"It's an amazing bar," Sakura said. "You're a great businessman. I hope you know that."

She went back to painting, feeling tension building in the room. The compliment felt oddly heavy, and the look he was giving her told her everything about how it made him feel. It was like she was the only person in the world who understood him, appreciated him.

She felt something cold and wet hit her neck. She brushed her fingertips over it and saw it was paint. At least she had her hair in a bun, or that paint would have been in her hair.

"Don't be so serious," he said.

She turned to look at him, and he had a stupid grin on his face. His hand was covered in paint that dripped onto the floor. He must have stuck his whole hand in the can before flicking the paint on her.

They were always throwing liquid at each other, she thought with a chuckle. First the sweet and sour sauce and now paint. But this time, she realized, they didn't have carpet beneath them. This floor meant nothing and would soon be replaced by hardwood or carpet.

She could put her all into this fight and there wouldn't be any mess to clean.

Determined, Sakura jumped at Kakashi, running her fingertips over her paintbrush to flick paint at him. He picked up a paint bucket and stuck his hand inside and chased her around. She squealed and tried to dodge him, but he was faster than her. He slammed his hand onto her neck and drug it down to her chest. She felt drops fall between her breasts and down to her belly button, making her squirm.

"That is so gross," she gasped.

She managed to smear paint down his arm and across his one pant leg, but she wasn't winning by any means. Nearly every inch of her was covered in paint by the time he was finished with her. They only had half a can of paint left, which meant Kakashi would have to buy more to finish the walls.

"Sorry about your paint," she said, though she didn't start the paint war. She ran a hand through her hair and groaned. "It's going to take days to get this out of my hair!"

"I happen to be an expert at getting paint out of hair," he said, walking over to her, grabbing her hips. "We could go take a shower, and I'll help you get it out."

Her heart pounded and she knew her face turned a deep red. He had never made a joke like that towards her, and she didn't know how she felt about it. A part of her wanted to punch him and tell him to not be weird, but another part of her wanted to dare him to do it.

He leaned into her ear and whispered, "Just kidding."

"Kakashi Hatake!" she gasped, pushing him back. "You're an asshole!"

She took the paint bucket and chased him again, planning to dump the remaining paint over his head.

* * *

**Coming next: A sweet date between Kakashi and Sakura, a group party, and some embarrassing drunk texts! **

**Please review!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Just to let anyone who is interested know, I'll probably be posting the first chapter of my NaNoWriMo story, _Secrets of the Crown_, but the end of the week. Make sure to follow me to get the notification, or tune in to the next chapter of this story for a reminder that it's published :)**

* * *

**Chapter 19**

"I'll see you later, Gai!" Sakura calls as she steps out of the coffee shop and onto the street. She smiled as the gentle evening breeze wove through her hair.

Her phone buzzed, and she pulled it out to see a text message from her mother. _Going to dinner with Minato. Making yours now._ She shot back a quick _ok_, then pulled up her texts with Kakashi. _Mom is going out_, she sent.

Mebuki had been making dinner lately, which Sakura appreciated. She was always tired after work, yes, but it also made her feel like her mother was contributing to the household. She still refused to get a job, which meant Sakura was paying all the bills. Thankfully Gai didn't mind giving her a few extra shifts to makeup for one extra person living in her apartment.

Mebuki was just pouring sauce over a pan of noodles when Sakura entered the apartment. "I hope baked ziti is fine," she said, smiling at her daughter. "I thought it'd be quick and easy."

"Ziti's fine," Sakura said. She threw her purse on the counter and went back to her bedroom to change out of her work clothes. Though naturally she threw on a similar outfit, jeans and a solid blue shirt.

Mebuki was just grabbing her own purse when Sakura came back out. "Minato is waiting downstairs," she said. She moved to kiss Sakura's head, which made her daughter groan. "You'll meet him soon. I promise."

Mebuki left, and Sakura sat on the kitchen counter to wait for the ziti to finish or for Kakashi to arrive, whichever came first. Kakashi hadn't replied to her text, but she still knew he was coming. Sure enough, just as the timer dinged for the ziti, Kakashi let himself into her apartment.

"What did Mebuki make today?" Kakashi asked. Though he hadn't seen much of her lately, Sakura mentioned her enough that he felt as if he knew her closely.

"Baked ziti," Sakura said.

"Quick and easy tonight, I see."

She wondered if he somehow knew her mother had said the same thing.

"What are we doing tonight? We could go—"

"Let's make cookies," she interrupted him.

"Cookies?"

"The oven is already warm. Come on, it'd be fun."

Kakashi had never baked before, which became obvious to Sakura the moment he tried using baking soda instead of baking powder. He tried mixing the liquid and dry ingredients from the beginning, and if she had left him alone he would have exploded the butter in the microwave.

They managed to get the first pan of cookies in the oven and sat down to eat the baked ziti. Kakashi asked her about work, if Gai was causing too much trouble. He even asked about Lee with what Sakura thought was a sour tone to his voice.

"I bet you can't fit a whole cookie in your mouth," Kakashi said when she pulled the cookies out of the oven.

"They're going to be hot," she whined. The look he gave her said he didn't care, she wouldn't do it anyway. "Fine, here I go."

The cookie was as big as her palm. She managed to shove it in her mouth with minimal breakage on the cookie's part, making his eyes go wide. If she didn't know any better she'd say he was blushing.

They both got big glasses of milk and took the cookies into the living room to watch a movie. He picked out a Disney Pixar film, surprising her. They laid on the couch together. He laughed along at the same places she did, and soon the cookies and milk were forgotten and he pulled her against him.

She stopped paying attention to the movie. He had kissed her a few times, once very heavily during laser tag, but this seemed on a whole other level of intimacy. She had only ever known couples to cuddle on the couch, and a couple they were not. But she wished they were.

Her cheek rested against his heart, and she listened as it slowed down. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get hers to match his. Her heart was a jackhammer, beating fast and hard. When he started snoring softly, she knew he had fallen asleep. She pulled his turtleneck down a little, not wanting him to suffocate himself.

She never wanted this moment to end. He laying on her couch, she laying on top of him. The Disney Pixar movie playing in the background, the smell of baked ziti and cookies in the air. They were in their own little world where nothing mattered but them, and she wanted it to be like that all the time. It was so perfect.

So perfect she needed to commit it to memory.

She eased off of him, not wanting to wake him. He grumbled when she got up, but otherwise stayed asleep. She let out a tense breath, then went to her bedroom. She plopped on her bed, powered up her laptop, and opened a blank document.

She was going to write. After a lifetime of reading and receiving an English degree, she was more than prepared to write. She just needed to get out of her own head and start. She _would_ make a successful writing career and get out of the coffee shop. She repeated it to herself like a mantra.

"Okay, here we go," she whispered.

_I laid on the couch and he felt warm. _

She groaned and smacked her forehead. "What the hell was that? I can do better."

_I rested on top of him, and his chest felt warm against my cheek. _

She smiled. She was doing it, really doing it. She could write a meaningful sentence! She edited a little before continuing.

_I rested on top of him, his chest warm against my soft cheek. He slept soundly, and I found myself drifting off with him. It was all peaceful until he suddenly woke up. He was angry, angrier than I've ever seen him. "How could you let me fall asleep?" he shouted. He grabbed my hair and— _

Sakura threw her laptop, not caring when it hit the ground. Her heart was beating faster than before, and this time there wasn't a hot man laying underneath her. She didn't know where that image had come from, but it came from her fingertips so fast and suddenly she couldn't stop until it choked her.

"Sakura?"

She wiped the tears running down her face just as Kakashi came into the room, rubbing his tired eyes with the back of his hand. He had a red mark on his face from one of the throw pillows on the couch, letting her know more time had passed than she thought.

"I have to go," he said. "My father wants me to attend a dinner meeting."

She nodded, and he gave her a funny look, like he knew something was wrong. She quickly smiled at him, but it didn't reach her eyes. He walked over and kissed the top of her head, a gesture almost as intimate as laying on the couch together.

"I'll see you later," he told her.

"See you." She was afraid if she spoke any more her voice would crack.

After she heard the apartment door shut behind him, Sakura jumped up and ran to the living room, grabbing her phone. She pulled up her text messages with Ino. _I could really use a drink_, she typed.

Ino texted back instantly. _Calling everyone. Party in 30._

* * *

**Next Chapter: Party at Ino's!**

_**What crazy shenanigans would you like to see at the party? **_


	20. Chapter 20

**I never did thank you all for the 100 reviews! I'm so happy you are all enjoying the story and giving feedback! **

**My story is up for NaNoWriMo, _Secrets of the Crown_. I'll include a summary at the end of the chapter again for those who need a reminder of how awesome it will be ;)**

**Shoutout to Ninaspirulina for the review-spam as she climbed her way through this story. Glad to have you with us :)**

**Enjoy this chapter, but know you'll love the next one even more ;) ;)**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

Sai picked up Sakura at her apartment. She was surprised to see Shin with him. Apparently Shin had whined until Sai agreed to bring him along. First time Shin had ever wanted to hang out with Sai and his friends, Sai told her, and it was probably because of all the girls that would be there.

When they pulled into Ino's driveway, they could hear the music thumping. Ino rented a house on the outskirts of town. As far as Sakura knew she only had elderly neighbors, so there was a slim chance they could even hear the noise let alone complain about it.

"You're here!" Ino shouted, running up to the door. She gave Sakura a once-over. "Damn, girl, you must have needed this!"

Sakura smiled, knowing Ino was going to approve of her outfit. She wore her shortest dress, her biggest pushup bra, and her highest heels. She was going to pull all the stops that night. "I knew you'd like it! Now give me two of whatever you're having."

Ino ran off to make Sakura drinks, and Sai followed to get he and his brother a drink. That left Shin alone with Sakura, and he didn't seem to mind. "How many people will be here?" he asked. So far they were the only car in the driveway.

Sakura wandered into the living room and turned the volume down on the stereo; they could blast it when people actually came. "I'm not sure," she answered Shin. "Shikamaru — Ino's boyfriend, so don't get any ideas — will definitely be coming. Temari usually comes, and she might bring her brothers with her."

"What's Temari like?" He had a glint in his eyes that Sakura didn't like.

"Strong and badass. Like I said, don't try anything."

"So are you the only available girl here? I can get down with—"

"Shin," Sai said, shoving a drink in his brother's face. "Please behave."

Shin rolled his eyes and start chugging his drink. Ino giggled and chugged hers, too, then drug him back to the kitchen to get another. Sakura just hoped Shin could keep up with her. She had seen far too many men crumble before Ino was halfway drunk.

Sai and Sakura sat on the couch, and he grabbed her knee. "Ino said you asked for the party. Are you okay?"

Tears starting prickling her eyes. She nodded, even though neither of them believed that she was fine. She just didn't know how to tell Sai that nothing had happened aside from letting her mind create evil fantasies about Kakashi. He would never hurt her. She knew that, but her heart couldn't believe it as easily as her brain.

Sai began talking about his latest art piece. She closed her eyes and leaned against his shoulder, letting his talk of paint colors and canvas materials drown out her swirling thoughts. His voice was smooth and steady, calming her.

Soon other guests began to arrive. Shikamaru came first, then Temari with her two brothers and one man she didn't know. Hinata also showed up, which Sakura should have thought about sooner. Ino and Hinata were becoming fast friends.

The music was cranked up again and drinks were served. Ino was making mixed drinks, and Temari and her brothers brought beer and wine coolers. Shin soon fell behind Ino, not able to keep-up with her heavy drinking. Sakura drank as much as she could without making herself sick.

"Let's play a game!" Ino suddenly shouted.

"Yes, let's do it!" Temari yelled back. She waved for someone to turn down the music. Kiba, the man she brought, jumped to do so. "Let's do Truth or Dare."

"Temari, we aren't five," Shikamaru whined.

"No, let's do it," Ino said.

The guys pushed back the furniture, and Temari and Ino tried to guide everyone to sit in a circle. After two attempts and a spilled beer, everyone was in place. They tried to do every-other person a girl, and they ended up sitting Temari, Kiba, Sai, Ino, Shikamaru, Sakura, Shin, Gaara, Hinata, Kankuro, and back to Temari.

"Temari goes first, since it was her stupid idea," Shikamaru said. Everyone laughed and agreed.

"Ino, Truth or—"

There was a loud knock on the door, and Ino squealed and stood up. Shikamaru grumbled it better not be "that asshole doctor," which made Sakura's cheeks flare with anger. She didn't have a great first meeting with Sasuke, and she didn't want him around to kill her buzz.

Ino came back with Sasuke to Shikamaru and Sakura's annoyance. He created a spot between Shikamaru and Sakura, which Sakura suspected was because he knew they didn't like him. "What are we playing?" he asked.

"Truth or Dare, and Temari was just picking me," Ino said, a little too starry-eyed for her boyfriend being right next to her. "I pick Truth."

A few people groaned, thinking that was the easy choice for Ino. Sakura had to giggle at that, because Ino was the most hardcore person to ever play Truth or Dare, in her mind. She would show no mercy to anyone in the circle and could take it just as much as she dished it.

"Who was the last person you slept with, before Shikamaru?" Temari asked.

Sakura saw Ino's jaw clench, which wasn't a good sign. Though Shikamaru and Temari vehemently declared there was nothing between them anymore, Ino was always jealous and on-edge. Temari knew that and had to mess with her. Sakura knew it always wiggled the wedge that was starting to form between Shikamaru and Ino.

"I never caught his name," Ino said. Her cockiness returned, and she flipped her hair over her shoulder. "It was in the bathroom of a bar. His mouth was too busy to stop and tell me his name."

It was Temari's turn to clench her jaw. There was also tension about who was the better girlfriend to Shikamaru, and Ino had way more experience than Temari. She always rubbed it in, which grated Temari to no end.

Sakura had no idea how they managed to stay friends sometimes.

Ino dared Shikamaru to give her a steamy kiss, and the tension in the room could be cut with a knife. Thankfully Shikamaru had the sense to ask Sai how many girlfriends he's had — none — and Sai asked Sakura how many books she owned— at least 400, but she didn't know. Everyone started laughing again, even Temari and Ino.

Sakura created her own drinking game in the midst of Truth or Dare. Every time Sasuke looked at her, she took a gulp of her drink. She went through three glasses that way, and she was nearly as drunk as Ino by the time she decided to stop playing that game.

"Sakura, Truth or Dare?"

Sakura said "Dare" without realizing who asked her. When she saw Ino's smirk, she panicked. "No, no, Truth! I take it back! Ino _no_."

"Sorry, Sakura!" Ino gave an evil cackle. "You called Dare already. And I Dare you to text Kakashi—"

"That's not bad." Sakura was doubtful. She was drunk, yes, but a text wasn't the worst thing. She could do something simple that even the alcohol couldn't mess up.

"—and invite him over."

There was the slap. Sakura knew there was a catch.

Kakashi had been at her house earlier in the evening but left for a business meeting. Juding by the time she arrived at Ino's and how much time had passed, it had only been three hours since Kakashi left her apartment. There was a chance he was at the meeting still. It was a risky game. And she had no choice but to play it.

"Fine," she said, pulling out her phone.

Everyone leaned in, wanting to know what would happen. Most people in the circle knew about Sakura's complicated relationship with Kakashi. Ino and Sai knew everything, from the details of their relationship to how Sakura's past affected her with him. Shikamari and Temari knew the general details, and Gaara, Kankura, and Hianta at least knew that Kakshi was Sakura's almost-boyfriend. Shin and Sasuke were the only ones in the dark.

"Who's Kakashi?" Sasuke asked.

"Shh, I'm typing," Sakura snapped.

_Come party_. Sent. That was easy enough, Sakura thought. But then she realized she gave him no details. "Shit," she cursed.

_Come at Ino__**. **_Sent.

She was only making it worse, she knew. Her drunk fingers were working even less than her drunk mind, and she wasn't making sense.

_No not w Ino dont touch her, stick with me_. Sent.

Sasuke pulled the phone from her hands. "You need to stop," he said. She face heated up in both embarrassment and anger, knowing he was reading over her shoulder like that. She watched him click a few buttons then he said, "There you go."

She frantically pulled up her messages. _Ignore me. I'm horny and drunk and flustered from sitting next to this hot doctor. Talk later._ He even added a kissing emoji and a thumbs up.

"What the _hell_ is wrong with you!" Sakura shouted, throwing her phone at Sasuke. "Why would you do that to me?" She was almost crying. She didn't know if she was crying because she was angry at Sasuke or upset about her relationship with Kakshi being ruined, but she did know that she was sick of Sasuke making her feel so many emotions at once.

Her cup was empty and she needed another drink in the worst ways, so she got up from the circle and went to the kitchen. She heard someone following her and hoped it was Sai.

It wasn't.

"Calm down, it's just a text," Sasuke said.

"It's not just a text!" She knew she was yelling and anyone in the other room could hear, but she didn't care. Not anymore. "It's the fact that you're taking my control away, forcing me—"

"I'm sorry," he interrupted her. "And I don't say that often. If he texts you back, tell him it was me."

She crossed her arms and sighed. "It's fine, it's over. Whatever. Moving on." She picked up a bottle of vodka and started pouring it in her cup.

"Are you planning to drink it straight?" he said with a chuckle.

"Butt out," she said. The liquid had poured out too fast, and she had over half of her glass full. It was _way_ too much, but she wouldn't admit that to him. She poured Mountain Dew in the rest of the cup and took a big drink, holding back her cringe.

He chuckled again, it being closer to a laugh than before. "You don't have to prove how tough you are."

"You couldn't handle it!"

He took a sip of her cup, coughing. When she laughed he took a bigger drink, trying to prove himself. They went back and forth like that, putting more and more alcohol in the cup to test each other. The game in the living room was forgotten, and soon they were sitting on the floor and laughing more than talking.

* * *

**Secrets of the Crown Summary: **

Prince Haruno wakes every morning to bind his breasts and face the world while his life is turned upside down. He is hounded by his latest female suitor, tempted by the men around him, and doesn't have a clue how to be a woman. As he goes undercover as a lady-in-waiting, he will discover more than womanhood. There's a plot against the Kingdom, and he can trust no one.

**Currently I'm planning SaiSaku with KakaSaku completing the triangle, but I may finish with KakaSaku. I just have to see how the story goes!**

**If you think this story is for you (which it totally is!) go check it out! The first chapter is up now, and the second will be up Friday. **


	21. Chapter 21

**When I planned this chapter, I was expecting fire and punch. Instead I got this incredibly vulnerable scene, and it is quite possibly the most beautiful thing I've ever written. I just love when you plan one thing and the characters pull you in a different way. It's my favorite part of being a writer.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's been long overdue. **

* * *

**Chapter 21**

Sakura woke up with the worst hangover of her entire life.

She couldn't remember most of the night before. After she started chugging her drinks during Truth or Dare, everything was a blur. She remembered bits and pieces, like Shin being dared to kiss Sai, and Shikamaru having to reveal that Temari was the last person he had sex with before dating Ino. She oddly spent most of her night drinking with Sasuke, laughing and drinking straight vodka. That was where her memories ended.

She must not have made it out of the kitchen after drinking with Sasuke, because she woke up laying on the kitchen floor. Someone had thrown a blanket over her but no pillow. That may have been another cause of her pounding head.

She managed to pull herself up and get a glass of water. She drank it fast, making her stomach flop. She puked into the sink, which was full of beer cans. Now someone — probably her — would have to fish out the puke-covered cans.

She wandered through the house, seeing who was awake and who was still passed-out. She didn't expect anyone to have left yet, but Sasuke was nowhere to be seen. The sun was barely up. "How the hell did he get up so early?" she asked herself.

"He got called into the ER about an hour ago."

She let out a yelp and turned to see Sai sitting on the couch, reading a book. He must have had one in his car. Ino definitely didn't keep any in the house. "What are you doing up?" she asked him.

"I never went to sleep," he said. "Kiba and Shikamaru snore like bears."

She hadn't noticed before, but Kiba and Shikamaru _were_ snoring like bears across the room. They were both sprawled out on the couch as if they fell asleep talking. What they had to talk about was a mystery, unless they discussed tips on how to make Temari happy. That must have been a weird conversation.

"Ino and Temari went up to her bedroom to sleep," Sai continued. "Gaara drove home last night — he didn't drink — with Kankuro, and I believe he took Hinata home, too."

Everyone was accounted for, and no one had driven drunk— assuming Sasuke's buzz had worn off by the time he left — to Sakura's relief. That was always a risk at home-parties. No bartender to cut people off and make sure they got sober rides home.

"Did Kakashi text you back?"

"Kakashi?" Sakura didn't remember texting Kakashi, but that didn't mean she didn't in a drunken haze.

"Ino dared—"

That was all Sakura needed to hear. She stumbled back to the kitchen to check her phone. She didn't see any notifications that he texted, so she unlocked her phone to check what she had sent to him.

_Come party_.

_Come at Ino__**. **_

_No not w Ino dont touch her, stick with me_.

_Ignore me. I'm horny and drunk and flustered from sitting next to this hot doctor. Talk later._

"The last one was Sasuke. You were very angry with him."

She was probably more than angry. She had to have been _pissed_ at Sasuke. Then how did she end up drinking with him on the kitchen floor? The mysteries of the night before could wait, she decided. They weren't as important as explaining herself to Kakashi.

She shot him a quick text. _Sorry about last night. Can I see you today?_

Not a second later, he replied. _Text me Ino's address. On my way. _

X

Everyone was still sleeping when Kakashi arrived. Sakura and Sai had managed to clean most of the house, including the puke-covered cans in the sink. He said he would leave when Shin woke up, and she hurried outside, not wanting to keep Kakashi waiting.

"You look like a hot mess," Kakashi said when Sakura got in the car.

"Just drive."

She pulled at the skirt of her dress, but every time she pulled it down her breasts were exposed more. Pulling it up showed more of her legs. She gave up on the dress and slipped off her high heels. Why didn't she grab a hoodie from Ino before she left?

"I had an interesting night," he said. "Do you want to hear about it?"

She didn't.

"I was sitting with my father and his new client. Real fancy restaurant, full suits and cloth napkins. And my phone keeps going off."

She couldn't tell if he was angry or not, so she stayed quiet.

"I got invited to a party, propositioned, then—"

"I know," she interrupted. _Then find out I'm supposedly horny with a hot doctor._

They didn't speak again until they arrived at her apartment. She trudged up the stairs, feeling his eyes on her the whole way, cursing herself for wearing the _stupid_ dress. When they got inside, she ran off to her room and he planted himself on her couch.

She didn't want to keep him waiting, but she had to make herself look human again. She scrubbed her face and brushed her teeth twice, sprayed dry shampoo in her hair, and changed into jeans and a hoodie. It was as good as she could do in ten minutes.

"You're mom isn't here," he said when she came back. He waved a scrap of paper at her. "She spent the night at Minato's, apparently."

"No way," she said, completely shocked. Though she knew her mother and Minato were getting closer, they hadn't spent the night together. Until last night.

She plopped on the couch beside him, bringing the note close enough to touch her nose. _I'm going out with Minatao and may not come back tonight. Xoxo Mom_.

"It seems that you both got some action last night."

Her eyes snapped to his, and she finally knew what he was feeling. There was no anger in his eyes, just pain. "I didn't send that message."

"I know."

"You do?"

"There was no way you sent a perfect text after screwing up three simple ones."

"Jerk!" She hit his chest with a pillow, and he laughed and caught it. "Why did you make me think you were angry?"

He ripped his mask down, showing her his smile. Her eyes followed over the scar running across his face, but not in the same way as before. She used to have a burning feeling in her chest every time she looked at it, aching to know where it came from. Now it was simply a part of him, something she didn't think twice about.

He had never said anything when she looked at his scar, so she had assumed he didn't notice her looking. She was wrong. "I want to tell you about it," he said.

His finger ran over it, from his nose to his chin. She was mesmerized, watching his every move.

"I was seventeen when it happened," he began. "My father was out of town to look at real estate. That was before his business became the Hatake Corporations. He owned a few in town, but was looking to expand.

"One night these guys came to the house. I don't remember much of that night, just that they were so angry. They didn't like the _power _my dad was getting and wanted to _put him in his place._"

She reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing.

"They attacked my mother. By the time Rin came over, she was dead, bled out. I was barely alive. I was rushed to the hospital, and my father cut his trip short to come home. They had cut my mouth to keep me quiet, so that needed stitches, and I had a bad concussion."

He put his head down on her shoulder, snuggling into her neck. She let out a shaky breath, trying to calm down. She hadn't expected such a story, but it all made sense now. No wonder he didn't want to show his face.

So many thoughts were swirling in her mind, and she grasped onto the silliest one, the one that was the most manageable. "Rin was there?" Though he wasn't dating her _now_, that didn't mean he didn't before. And clearly they had history.

"We dated in high school," he said, sending a pang right through her heart. "We broke up after that day — I couldn't deal with a relationship. My father moved us to this city after I graduated, bought me the coffee shop. Rin followed us here for college."

They didn't speak for a long time. Kakashi kept his head against Sakura's neck, and she ran her fingers through his hair. It was the most intimate moment they had shared. He had given her such a vulnerable part of himself, and she wish she could return the favor. But she couldn't, not yet.

"I don't want to lose you," he said, so quietly she almost didn't hear him.

"I'm right here," she said. "I'm not going anywhere."

He leaned back enough to look at her. "But you could, could leave." He reached his thumb out to brush her cheek. "I've lost so much. I don't want to lose you too. And certainly not to a sexy doctor."

She smiled devilishly. "It was a hot doctor, remember?"

"I don't care."

He pulled her face to his and kissed her, telling her everything he hadn't said. He held their lips together for so long she thought her heart would stop, then kissed her quickly three times. "Be mine. _Please_."

Her heart really did stop that time, she was sure of it. "Always," she said, again breathless.

She expected him to kiss her again, but instead he pulled her into a tight hug. "Always," he repeated.

* * *

**Please leave a review letting me know what you think! And if you haven't already, go check out my new story, _Secrets of the Crown_. **


	22. Chapter 22

**This chapter was _so much fun_ to write! I really hope you all enjoy it. After this, the plot will begin moving forward again :)**

**Shoutout to anyone who saw this coming. (I don't have time to check all the reviews and pull out the names. :'( Sorry.)**

* * *

**Chapter 22**

Sakura was in a haze for many days. She couldn't believe that a wonderful man like Kakashi would want to date her. She would often stop what she was doing to think about him, her, them. The matter of his past would also pull her away, making her picture a younger, more fragile Kakashi, attacked and watching his mother die all in one night.

And her mother wondered why she was so space-y.

"I'm fine, Mother, just a lot on my mind," she would tell her.

"If you say so, but I know my daughter," Mebuki would say.

"Stop it, you don't know me at all."

"That hurts, Sakura."

From there they would fight about something being or not being wrong with Sakura, about how bad of a mother Mebuki was. Nothing was ever solved. Mebuki still didn't know what was wrong with Sakura, and Sakura just ended up angry. One more thing to stew over.

"_Hello_, anyone home?"

Sakura jerked up at the voice. A customer was staring at her with a scowl, clearly having waited many minutes for her to pay attention to him. There were two more people behind him, one also looking annoyed and another too busy with their cell phone.

"I'm so sorry. What would you like, sir?"

She went back to make his coffee, and Moegi came behind the counter. She had been cleaning tables. "Come on, Space Cadet. You've been like this all week, and I'm starting to look better than you."

That scared Sakura. There was no way she'd ever let herself be worse than careful, irritable, young _Moegi_. She was an adult, for crying out loud, one with a college degree. If she couldn't manage a few hours in a coffee shop being more pleasant than the high schooler, then she didn't deserve the job.

The angry customer got his coffee, and she quickly served three more people. She was nearly panting by the end, and Moegi was only smirking harder. She would have told her off, but the door chimed again.

It was Kakashi. Sakura flushed, unsure of how to act around him. They had exchanged a few texts but haven't seen each other since he asked her to be his. That meant he was her boyfriend, yet she had no idea how to act around him. She supposed that would happen when you've never had one before…

"We need to talk." There was a sharp edge to his voice that made her nervous.

"What is it?"

Moegi was still standing by, and Gai had come out of the back office when he heard his best friend.

"You're fired."

Any redness on her cheeks left as her face turned to a sheet of white. She opened her mouth twice, gaping like a fish, but no words came out. Moegi started cackling behind her, clearly enjoying the show.

"My friend, there must be a mistake!" Gai exclaimed.

"No mistake," Kakashi said, his voice now sounding flippant. "Sakura is fired, effective immediately."

She felt numb. She pulled off her apron, handed it to Gai, and grabbed her purse from underneath the counter. The process took longer than it should have, and Kakashi was already out the door and walking down the street. She ran after him.

He was walking towards her apartment, which made her seeth. _He better not have the audacity to hang-out with me after firing me_, she thought. But he kept walking, past her apartment. She debated whether or not to follow him, deciding she deserved an answer.

"Kakashi, stop!" she yelled.

He did, but he didn't look at her. By the time she caught-up to him, he was walking to the door of the nearest store. He put a key in the hole and unlocked it.

She knew the place. He had taken her there before to paint.

"Are you going to come in?" He was looking back at her, an amused look on his face.

When she stepped inside, she dropped her purse. "Kakashi, what is…"

When they had painted, the room was completely bare. Now it was completely full of bookshelves, the very ones she had picked at the furniture store. She had completely forgotten about them. Directly to the right of the door was a curved desk, and off to the left she could see a little nook with couches and a hot drink station.

"What is this place?"

"Cherry Tree Books." He shrugged as if it was obvious what the place was and why they were there.

"A bookstore?"

"Yes, Cherry Tree _Books_ is a bookstore."

"And it's yours?"

"Yes, that's why I bought the furniture, painted the place, and have the key."

"How did—"

"The owner of the bookstore down the street contacted me weeks ago, letting me know he was going to close-down. He asked if I wanted to buy the building. My father actually did—"

"Is that what the business meeting was about?" The night she was getting drunk at Ino's house, he was selling the old bookstore.

"Yes, my father was meeting with someone who wants to rent it. I was there because I initially found the property."

"And you decided to open your own bookstore, since the other one left?"

"I knew how much having a bookstore close by meant to you."

He walked up to her and pulled her to his chest, hugging her tightly. He set his chin on top of her head, humming. She let him stay like that for a minute, then pushed him away, remembering she was mad at him. He had just fired her, and now he was being cuddly!

"I'm going home." She turned to leave, but he grabbed her wrist.

"I hear you're looking for a job. I happen to be needing a manager for my new—"

She jumped into his arms, yanked his scarf off, and kissed him. He stumped a little but managed to catch her. She was surprised too, surprised that she could go from so angry to so, _so _happy in a matter of seconds.

"Don't you ever trick me again."

He smiled at her, proud of himself. "You can yell at me later. For now, my new manager needs to buy books. I have the wholesale website up in the back—"

Sakura was running to the back faster than he had ever seen her run before, and he smiled. She already had such a tight grip on his heart, but he didn't mind. He would give that woman the world if she let him.

* * *

**PLEASE leave a review! I'm anxious to know what you all thought. **


	23. Chapter 23

**Um...hi...everyone...Please don't hurt me. **

**Do you even want me to go on my apology tour? I will. I totally will. But it's probably pointless. This is not the first or third time I've went AFK like this, so maybe I'll just spare it. We all know I'm probably do it again, too. *sad face***

**Thank you to Green Eyed Girl (guest) for reminding me to keep this story going! Honestly, guys, reviews are _so_ important. Sometimes I go days or weeks without even thinking about FanFiction, then one day I get an email notification that I got a review for a story. It makes me go "oh yeah, that was a thing." And I go write. Or sometimes just publish the chapter I have finished but never took the time to post. Moral of the story: review! Even on stories that are 8 months old and you think are dead. ( me)**

**This chapter isn't too exciting. Maybe a little. But I do have tons of crazy plot mapped out, and I'm going to write as many chapters as I can while I have this momentum going. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 23**

Sakura ran her fingers over the colorful book spines, down the entire one side of a row and up the other. She squealed a little, feeling more excited than she had ever been in her entire life

Sakura never had anything for herself. Sure, she had her apartment, but to her that was normal. Average. It wasn't anything spectacular, something she could show off. But this. This book store was all hers. She worked hard for two weeks, put everything she had into making it the dream destination for readers of every variety.

The bookshelves she had picked with Kakashi were blue and dark wood, so she stuck with those colors. All the furniture — the front desk, the couches, the coffee bar — were the same dark oak, and blue and green touches were all around the shop, down to the knobs on the doors.

She had brought her loves of coffee and books together, making it a place to buy and enjoy books. She hoped customers would find a second home here. After buying a book, customers could enjoy a free cup of coffee in the sitting area. It was exactly the sort of place Sakura herself always wanted to go to.

No one had seen the bookstore yet, not even Kakashi. She wanted to wait until it was perfect. And it finally was. Her heart swelled with pride every time she looked around the store.

There was always a sharp pang alongside the pride, though, a feeling she tried to ignore. Yes she worked hard as the first manager of the bookstore, but she didn't pay for it. Kakashi did. She didn't have the original idea to open a bookstore. Kakashi did. At the end of the day, she wasn't even the owner, just the general manager that could be replaced at any moment.

"Knock, knock!" came a cheery voice from the doorway.

Sakura wiped tears from her eyes and spun to see her friends standing in the doorway. Ino was holding a giant sheet cake with "Congratulations, Sakura!" written in pink frosting. Sai had his sketchbook out, already capturing the moment with his pencils. Kakashi was standing in the back, looking around with his calculating business gaze. She wiped her clammy hands on her pants.

"Aren't you going to welcome us in? Some manager you are," Ino said with a wink. She set the cake down on the counter and pulled Sakura in for a hug. "It looks so amazing. Great job."

"Excellent lighting, too," Sai said from the couches. Sakura made sure to put the couches by the bay windows for that very reason. She was hoping Sai would appreciate the natural lighting.

Ino ran off to give herself a tour of the place, and Kakashi finally approached Sakura. That cold look slipped out of his eyes when he looked at her. "What do you think?" she asked him.

"Not bad," he said, his eyes crinkling. "I don't think I could have done better myself."

Sakura scoffed and nudged his shoulder. "Yeah, right," she said into his chest as he put his arms around her.

"Grand opening tomorrow," he said. "Are you ready?"

She really was. Her nerves were rapidly slipping away, and she felt calm. Peaceful. Ready to take on the world.

X

By the end of the week, Sakura was exhausted. Kakashi had been there the first day, helping both Sakura and the new employees who needed to be trained, but Sakura sensed that Kakashi was making them more nervous. She sent him back to the office on the second day, and he helped her there the entire week. With Kakashi away from the employees, they quickly learned their jobs and were self-sufficient by the end of the week.

The office work was hard. She felt as if she would never learn how to crunch numbers and make schedules, but Kakashi assured her she would be a quick study. She hoped so, because she didn't want to sink Kakashi's new business.

Every day after work, Kakashi had brought food home to Sakura. On Friday, though, he didn't join her. Instead he gave her a task. One she would need Ino's help with.

Ino told her to meet her after work and they would drive to the next city over together, which is how Sakura found herself sitting at a park two blocks from the hospital. It was as close as she's been to a hospital in years. The thought had her sitting at the edge of her seat.

She nearly jumped out of it when she heard a voice behind her say, "What do we have here?"

Sakura whipping around, coming face-to-face with none other than Sasuke Uchiha.

"Oh, it's you. What do you want?" she spat out. She was tired. Her feet hurt. She was anxious from being so close to a hospital. She didn't need to add Dr. Asshole to her list of annoyances.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that? You're awful close to the hospital."

So he'd picked up on her fear. Great. "I'm waiting for Ino."

Sasuke looked at his watch. "You have another fifteen minutes. That means you have time to chat." He plopped down beside her.

The silence was heavy. She scratched at her jeans, nudged the ground with the toe of her sneakers. How do you go from getting drunk off vodka on the kitchen floor to this awkwardness? Well, you don't have to talk when drinking vodka, she thought.

"You're so secretive," Sasuke finally said, breaking the silence.

"_Me?_" Sakura's temper instantly flared.

"You have all these secrets and don't trust your friends with them."

She was about to say how wrong he was. Ino and Sai knew everything about her. Well, Ino did. Sai knew most. Kakashi...next to nothing. Her boyfriend. Okay, maybe he was right. But he didn't get to call her out on it like that.

"You're the shady one," she said. "You just pop up here one day and weasel your way into all our lives—"

"I do not _weasel_—"

"—and we know nothing about you and your freakish hair—"

"What does my hair—"

"—Yet you show up, scaring the hell out of me—"

This time, Sasuke didn't interject with a quip. This time, he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her to him. Her eyes were wide as his lips locked with hers, and she screamed and thrashed. At least in her head she did. In reality she pushed him back — nowhere near as hard she wished she did — and said, "What was that?"

A smirk crept over his face. "You're so fiesty."

From a block away, Ino shouted, "Sakura!"

Sakura stood up to meet her, still in a daze, but Sasuke caught her wrist. "Do I really scare you?" he asked.

"Irrevocably," she whispered.

Pain flashed across his face. He let go of her wrist. She opened her mouth as if to say something. She closed it, turned, and ran to Ino.

* * *

**Thanks for reading this chapter! If you could leave a review, that would be great. **

**Your Homework: Leave me a review telling me everything in this story I awkwardly forgot about since I started a million years ago. (Did I introduce a character and forgot he existed? Did I hint at something juicy and never went back to it?) If I forgot something to the black hole of my mind, you will never see it again unless you bring it up! :) **


End file.
